News: Toulon favourites to land 'Wilko';
Top 14 stars shine at Sevens RWC in Dubai

Toulon have emerged as favourites to sign England World Cup hero Jonny Wilkinson in a big-money summer transfer.

The Newcastle Falcons fly-half, who speaks French, has long been tipped to join the English exodus to Top 14, but until this week it had been thought Racing Metro 92 would be his likely destination.

However, according to reports in L’Equipe, Toulon appear to be winning the race for his signature following a fact-finding mission this week by Wilkinson’s father Phil.

The paper said “Daddy Wilkinson” flew to France this week to meet representatives from both Bayonne and Toulon, but the latter appeared to move into pole position after persuasive entreaties from Tana Umaga, Mourad Boudjellal and Philippe Saint-Andre.

The 29-year-old still has one season left on his contract with Newcastle but now appears set for a financially lucrative stint in France despite a horrific run of injuries since guiding England to World Cup glory in 2003.

‘Wilko’ remains a major draw for would-be suitors and his advisors are now set for showdown talks with Falcons chairman Dave Thompson to thrash out his future next week.

The international record points-scorer is currently on the verge of a playing comeback from his latest injury – a dislocated kneecap – but that hasn’t put off potential employers from dangling contracts worth upwards of £300,000 per season.

Meanwhile, over in Dubai, current Top 14 stars shone on the opening day of the Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament.

Perhaps the pick of the opening day matches saw France beat the USA with a 26-17 victory, after fighting back from a 12-10 half-time deficit.

Biarritz flyer Takudzwa Ngwenya was on the scoresheet for the States, but Clermont’s Julien Malzieu grabbed one of France’s four tries as they rallied for an excellent victory.

Montauban centre Rida Jahouer was also on the scoresheet, together with Laurent Ferreres and Vincent Deniau as they gave long-time sevens coach Thierry Janeczek the perfect opening, despite the late sin-binning of Blagnac’s Julien Patey – who picked up a one-match suspension for ‘brutality’ and will now sit out Friday’s clash with Georgia.

In the other Pool B match defending champions Fiji survived a scare before beating Georgia 26-10. The tournament favourites were 12-10 up at the interval thanks to tries from Dax’s Neumi Nanuku and Clermont’s Napolioni Nalaga, but moved clear after the re-start with Montauban’s Vilimoni Delasau scoring their third try.

New Zealand, South Africa, Tonga, Samoa, England, Argentina and Wales all recorded opening day wins too.

The IRB’s French chairman Bernard Lapasset is hoping to use the tournament as the launch pad to get sevens admitted as an Olympic sport in 2016.

Rugby is one of seven sports seeking Olympic acceptance, and does have a history of inclusion having been present in the 1925 Games – although in the 15-man version.

“Sevens is the best format for the Olympics,” said Lapasset in Dubai. “It’s fast, dynamic, sharp and short. It’s also good for broadcasters and the public. This is very important in terms of the value we can bring to the Olympics.”

England World Cup winner Lawrence Dallaglio has endorsed Lapasset’s vision. “I speak for the entire rugby family when I say that we believe that rugby would strengthen and support the Olympic movement and that the Olympic Games would be great for rugby,” he said.

Read FRC's exclusive three-part interview with Lapasset

Back in France, Brive have been dealt a double injury blow with Alexis Palisson and Norman Ligairi both sidelined with ankle injuries following their victory over Stade Francais.

Palisson is expected to be out for three weeks, but Ligairi's season looks to be over following a severe sprain of his right ankle, which will now need to be in plaster for six weeks.