Delon Armitage signs for Toulon – Rugby News Update
England London Irish fullback, Delon Armitage has signed a two year contract with the French side Toulon, which will see him join up with his brothers Guy and Steffon ahead of the new season.
It was a tough decision for the fullback to leave the Exiles, the club he has played for since 2003, admitting that he thought of reversing his decision, once it was made clear that former England coach Brian Smith will be coaching at the London club next
year. However, he has said that it was the right time for him to leave but he has left the door open for his return to Irish, after penning a two-year deal with Toulon.
"If I was still involved with England I would have stayed at London Irish, definitely," Armitage said. "Obviously things have happened this year that have made that impossible. This is the right time to go.”
The fullback was fast tracked into the senior Elite Player Squad and he was one of the bright stars for England in 2008. The Trinidad born player made his England debut against the Pacific Islanders in 2008 at Twickenham on November 8, 2008. The then England
manager Martin Johnson had described his debut as the best he had ever seen.
Instead of capitalizing on his initial performances, Armitage’s career went into reverse gear. His showings were exceptional during the 2009 and 2010 Six Nations tournaments but once his problems off the field started, he was out of the England reckoning.
Commenting on his problems and recognising he is too blame himself for the issues, Armitage said, "Things have happened and they have been no-one else's fault but my own. I think it is time for me to move on. I am getting myself into things I shouldn't be
and it was time I moved on and challenged myself somewhere else.”
He also added, “...maybe I have got too comfortable and have achieved what I set out to achieve in a short space of time.”
He last played for England in October 2011 against Scotland at Auckland. With his move to France he will be hoping for an upturn in fortunes.
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