Toulon have gone from conquering Europe... to hanging out with Kings, the PRO14 strugglers

Breaking bread isn’t someone anyone can imagine easily doing with maverick Toulon rugby owner Mourad Boudjellal, but newly taken over Southern Kings have entered into exclusive negotiations for a partnership between the two clubs.

Only last month a consortium of Eastern Cape business people acquired a controlling interest in the Kings, the struggling PRO14 franchise.

That acquisition saw South African Rugby sell a 74 per cent shareholding in SA Super Rugby (Pty) Ltd, the Southern Kings' holding company, to a company called The Greatest Rugby Company in the Whole Wide World (Pty) Ltd (GRC).

The Eastern Province Rugby Union (EPRU) acquired the balance of 26 percent of the shares, a deal that was completed following the conclusion of agreement on the commercial terms.

South Africa Rugby had taken control of the Kings in November 2015 when the EPRU, to whom the operation of the franchise had been granted, ran into financial trouble.

Now the Kings, who have won just three of their 39 matches in the PRO14 since joining in September 2017, are hoping that a tie-up with Boudjellal’s Top 14 outfit can enhance what the Port Elizabeth club is trying to achieve. 

The Kings-Toulon partnership would be based on an exchange of skills between the two clubs, with the possibility of lending players, sharing methods of training and physical preparation, the organisation of joint courses and friendly matches and even the carrying out of joint public relations between the partner companies of the two entities.

Toulon reported on their club website that they are happy to be able to consider this partnership, claiming it will bring them new skills for the seasons ahead. 

The French side are currently preparing for a massive Top 14 game this weekend at the Velodrome in Marseille. They will host league leaders Toulouse, who last Sunday went to Paris to knock Racing 92 out of the Champions Cup quarter-finals.