Toulon summon Boks with threats
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Toulon chief Morad Boudjellal has demanded Bryan Habana, Bakkies Botha and Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe quit the Rugby Championship and return to club duty or face not being paid.
This came after the Chairman controversially said that he may well tear up Welsh fullback Leigh Halfpenny's contract as the star continues to sit out of Toulon's squad with injuries.
According to Wales Online the southern hemisphere trio, currently playing for South Africa and Argentina respectively in the Championship have been given until the end of the week to return to club duty or their wages will dry up.
SARU has declined to comment on the issue telling rugby365 that Regulation 9 of the IRB Laws covers the availability of players completely.
It seems this outburst has come because of the European and French champions’ 24-28 home defeat against Stade Francais, with Boudjellal stating that he is not here to fund South African and Argentine rugby.
The Rugby Championship is sanctioned by the IRB, which means clubs have to release players who are selected by their countries.
But Boudjellal will challenge that policy and demand clubs only be forced to release players if the IRB or individual unions foot the bill for those away on international duty.
Boudjellal defended his hard-line stance by stating of Habana, Botha and Lobbe: “There is something that is quite simple – they defend the colours of their country and are paid rather comfortably by Toulon.
“The IRB decided the rules. That’s fine, but I’m not here to fund South African and Argentine rugby and I will not.
“These players will return as we need them. If they do not and we receive no fee, they will not be paid by us because they will not be present in Toulon.”
The Chairman went on to proclaim that the French law usurped IRB regulations.
“We’ll see if the rules of the IRB prevail or if it is the rules of the Labour Code for French private enterprise. In any case, it is an aberration.
“We have reached a stage where we have to ask the opinion of the French law. Therefore, we will ask the French judges whether a foreign federation has the right to take my employees and force me to pay them.
“It’s just unthinkable we have players who are paid very well by us but cannot not play them. Moreover, I have to pay the players replacing them. This is a double sanction.”
The IRB doesn’t work a formal compensation system – it leaves it up to individual unions to take a stance on the matter.
Source: Wales Online
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