Toulon’s capture of England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson continues to dominate headlines in France.

Most reports have been extremely favourable, welcoming the world renowned star to Top 14, although some have questioned the wisdom of the signing given Wilkinson’s poor injury record over the past five years.

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But club president Mourad Boudjellal said the opportunity to sign Wilkinson had proved beyond temptation.

“If it doesn’t work out, we’ll put it down to a moment of folly,” he said. “But who hasn’t fantasized about a rugby player like Wilkinson, a great among the greats, a player who is out of this world?”

And incoming director of rugby Philippe Saint-Andre was also delighted to have such a talent at his disposal next season.

“He is one of the best fly-halves in the world,” said the new Toulon boss. “We will have to see how he goes because he hasn’t played for a long time. But when you have the means to buy him and you get a present like Wilkinson, you can’t refuse it,” he added.

Fellow newcomer Tom May – who, like Wilkinson, has joined from Newcastle Falcons – got a taste of what’s to come next season when he watched Toulon’s final match of the season (a 23-3 home win against Montpellier) at the Stade Felix Mayol.

“When I came down here I felt a really passionate town,” said May, who was called up to Martin Johnson’s England squad on Tuesday.

“But having been to a game and watched videos, it just takes on a whole new meaning now and it’s bordering on religion as opposed to a normal game of rugby,” he added.

May said he was delighted to have Wilkinson with him down in Toulon next season and was relishing the chance of playing in Top 14. “It’s an exciting time to be here and we are both looking forward to it.”

Toulon’s inspirational captain Joe Van Niekerk has also been speaking about his experiences this season, and reckons the decision by Tana Umaga to come out of retirement played a crucial role in the club’s survival.

“I think Tana returning to the playing ranks helped a lot, he has an amazing aura that helped focus the team a lot, but if you ask me truthfully how we stayed in the Top 14; I think it was simply meant to be,” he told the South African media.

Van Niekerk admitted learning French was hard work but said the move had invigorated him as a player and a improved him as a person.

“There is plenty of talk here about Frans Steyn making a move to [Racing] Metro. If I could give him some advice, I’d say ‘Go on, do it, make the move’. He’ll be living in Paris and experiencing a whole new culture – he will become a better person and, ultimately, a better player for it.”

Toulon centre Sonny Bill Williams, meanwhile, has slipped back into Sydney, Australia, for the first time since his acrimonious departure at the beginning of the season when he walked out on the Bulldogs to move to France.

Williams, an NRL superstar, quickly became a hate after flying out without the Bulldogs’ consent, but now he is back in Oz to make his professional boxing debut on the undercard of Anthony Mundine’s world title fight with Daniel Geale in Brisbane on Wednesday. He will also be on show in Sydney when he plays for the Barbarians against Australia on June 6^th.

Toulon’s Czech winger Martin Jagr, 29, has signed for ProD2 outfit Union Bordeaux-Bègles after being released by the Top 14 club. The long-serving winger had been the subject of a fans’ petition after news broke of Toulon’s decision to allow him to leave, but he has now signed a two-year deal with Union.

He will be joined at Union by props Mathieu Badel (from FC Auch Gers) and Nicolas Descamps (from Dax), South African lock Altenstadt Hulme (from Rome), full-back Vungakoto Lilo (from Bristol) and utility back Camilla Lopez (from Mauleon). The English ‘medical joker’ Anthony Elliott – signed from Bristol during the season – has also agreed a further one-year deal.