Leigh Halfpenny: New Toulon contract close says owner Mourad Boudjellal
Last updated on .From the section Welsh Rugby
Toulon want to renew Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny's contract before he goes on tour with the British and Irish Lions next week, says the French club.
Halfpenny, 28, joined Toulon in 2014 from Cardiff Blues and his current deal runs out this summer.
The Top 14 side's owner, Mourad Boudjellal, wants to have the contract sorted "by the end of this week".
Toulon have made an offer reported to be worth £750,000 per year for the club's top points-scorer.
His former Welsh region, in conjunction with the Welsh Rugby Union had offered Halfpenny a national dual contract (NDC), but Blues chief executive Richard Holland admitted in March that it was "unlikely" the player would agree a return.
Halfpenny again proved his worth as Toulon reached the French Top 14 semi-finals, scoring a crucial late try in a personal haul of 21 points as they saw off Castres 26-22 last Friday.
Toulon will face La Rochelle in Marseille on Friday, 26 May for a place in the final, which will be Halfpenny's last game of the season for the club.
The Top 14 final is not until 4 June and Lions coach Warren Gatland has confirmed that Halfpenny will join up with the Lions squad immediately after the semi-final for the tour to New Zealand.
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Mike Brown should have had his place as a greater attacking threat with ball in hand which we'll need against a complete All Blacks unit.
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We've got a greater attacking threat than Mike Brown - Hogg.
Anything you want it to be
Granted kicking was a very sizable chunk of Wilko's game but his leadership, relationship with Giteau at 12 and defensive capability in the first line of defence made him such a crucial part of that team.
He's in the second half (arguably the final quarter) of his playing career so I'm not surprised that a few big pay-days in the sunshine is more attractive than coming home.
I'm surprised that Toulon want to ink the contract now though. I'd wait to see exactly how many pieces he's in when gets back from the Lions tour.
He doesn't run nice lines such as players like Lee Byrne or Liam Williams.
Personally I think picking him in the team for his kicking abilities means Wales lose an attacking prowess.
What I can't understand is why Dan Evans never gets a look in, OK not first choice but if there are injuries why not.
Halfpenny best fullback in europe. What have you been smoking, I want some?
Take the money and live in the south of France
Having said all that, I wish him well on the Lions tour where his kicking could still be useful in the midweek matches.
creative attacking threat and a very good defender.
We should encourage our top players to make the leap to the European Super Clubs, it will develop them as players.
The priority of the WRU should be keeping young prospects in Wales for early development.
If I were facing the decision 1/2p is I would have made it in a nanosecond.
He has every right to make the best living he can and if you can do that in the sunshine overlooking the Med rather than the freezing horizontal rain from the Bristol Channel - not much of a choice
Interesting...because long experience has shown time and again that AB players can escape sanction for the most cynical and cowardly on-pitch violence.
I suppose playing with determination and passion...or even daring to want to win is too much a mark of disrespect for the average AB fan. He should be targeted for a display of "superior physicality" in the first two minutes!
But I find it hard to believe the debate was between him & Brown who is ok but probably only just hanging onto his England place by a whisker. Thinking back to the last 6N can't think of anything exceptional MB did really. At least 1/2p kicks reliably
You can make stats say anything.
How many opportunities did Brown butcher by dying with the ball and not passing this season England would have scored a few more if he had better vision