Sunny days ahead: Toulon's new boss Philippe Saint-André Photo: Michael Paler

In-coming Toulon boss Philippe Saint-André has given his reaction to the LNR’s plans to restrict the number of overseas players in France.

“I think 75% (home-grown players in a squad) is quite a lot. I think 50-60% would be a good thing,” he told Setanta.com. “French clubs have big crowds and they want to see the big players and the big names, so you still need to have quality players if you want to bring the business forward and have big crowds.”

He said the new proposals, unveiled on Thursday, would force clubs into a rapid rethink of their recruitment policy.

“You need to have a good balance between top quality foreign players and after that your Academy and French players. A few years ago the best players played in England, now they are in France… maybe in a few years it might be Ireland, because it turns quickly he admitted.

Saint-Andre also said he would be delighted to take the French national job in the future, but only on merit.

“I am going back to Toulon, and if I am doing a good job with them and one day I get it it will be because I deserve it. If I don’t get it, it’s because I didn’t deserve it. I see it like that,” he reasoned.

But the outgoing director of rugby at Sale Sharks said he was relishing the challenge of taking Toulon forward, and moving to a city where rugby is the dominant sport – unlike in Manchester.

“What will be different is that Toulon is completely mad about rugby. In Manchester, in my private life, I am so easy-going, but that will change. Also, we have 20 days of sun a year here, so I’m going where there are 250 days of sun – that will be a big change for me.”

Toulon's rebuilding process is already well underway with Saint-André overseeing the capture of several high-profile overseas star, but this week they announced that two of their Academy players had signed new contracts. French Universities scrum-half Anthony Giacobazzi, 19, has signed a three-year deal, while Delarue César has signed for two years.

One player Saint-André won’t be coaching next season, however, is Yoann Maestri, who has signed to join Stade Toulousain from Toulon for €150,000 on a four-year contract.

The Top 14 leaders, meanwhile, appear ready to release winger Bertus Swanepoel, who has struggled to establish himself at the French champions. His current contract is due to run until 2010, but La Depeche du Midi reported that he will be allowed to leave in the summer, with London Irish and Bristol apparently ready to snap him up.

Another player transfer confirmed on Friday was that of Biarritz’s South African Jacques Cronje, who has agreed to join Pro D2’s runaway leaders Racing Metro ’92.

On the contract front Montpellier hooker Fabien Rofes has signed a two-year extension, Perpignan lock Guillaume Vilaceca has signed a one-year extension.

Elsewhere, James Haskell, who is also France-bound at the end of the season, has admitted to struggling with the swathe of criticism that directed his way since announcing he was leaving London Wasps for Stade Francais.

“There are times when I think everybody is on my case and I am the most hated man in world rugby,” he told The Times. But he insisted he was not having any second thoughts about crossing the Channel, and that he was sure he had made the correct decision.

“The easiest decision I could have made would have been to stay at Wasps,” he said. “I wanted to go somewhere that was a real change, not just down the road. To learn a different language, play a different style of rugby, to mature as a person and get away from some of the misnomers that surround me.

“The last three of four months have been the most difficult of my life. I have come in for criticism from everyone, from people I’ve respected,” he added.