Toulon boss Mourad Boudjellal has came out swinging this week at his players following their lost to Agen. Julian Savea took the brunt of the abuse while Rhys Webb took a spraying too.
Beauden Barrett was speaking to reporters since the comments were made and has said the savaging of former All Blacks teammate Julian Savea by Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal would make him think twice about joining the French club.
The unrepentant French tycoon doubled-down on his criticism of Savea with another astonishing rant after Savea publically responded to the ‘released‘ comments made by his boss. This sparked a huge Twitter backlash against Boudjellal with friends and former colleagues of the All Black winger showing him their support.
Barrett took things a step further when questioned if Boudjellal’s comments would put him off signing for Toulon when he decides his post RWC Future.
“It certainly doesn’t help,” he told reporters.
“Firstly, you’ve got to be comfortable. It’s a big move to move offshore and you have to be happy with a number of things.
“Your family have to be happy, you have to be happy with the coaching setup and team culture, so there are a number of different things.
“It’s totally different over there from what we see externally. It must be a different dynamic, it’s not the same as here.”
The Twitter backlash against Boudjellal seemed to stoke the fire as he unleashed round 2 of his spat yesterday, saying the rest of his contract will be “very long for him”.
The owner was particularly unhappy Savea took a month off for a trip to Fiji to attend the wedding of his brother and All Blacks flanker Ardie Savea.
“I can not think it’s normal for a player paid more than 1 million euros per year to go on holiday to Fiji for a month in December … he just had to attend his brother’s wedding, not take long leave,”
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Boudjellal words perhaps were an intentional warning for those considering joining the club.
“Do not come to Toulon as a tourist. There is enough in the region,”
Earlier this season the outspoken owner came out and said when he intended leaving the club. Perhaps this isn’t soon enough for some players.
