Toulon give three-year contract to French international centre Mathieu Bastareaud – Rugby news
Big money spending Top 14 outfit Toulon has acquired the services of former Stade Francais and French international centre, Mathieu Bastareaud. Toulon has handed over a three-year contract to Mathieu Bastareaud to ensure his long-term stay with the club.
Officials have confirmed the signing of the international centre in a statement released on their website on Saturday, July 9th.
According to reports, Stade Francais has agreed to relieve Bastareaud from the contract after the discussion of their new club president, Thomas Savare, with Toulon’s President, Mourad Boudjellal, on the sidelines of France’s National Rugby League General
Assembly meeting.
Toulon were eager to sign Bastareaud but Stade Francais’ old management was the main hurdle in their plans.
Créteil born Mathieu Bastareaud progressed his way up through the school and local club level rugby and his strong performance and extra ordinary skills in the 2007 International Rugby Board’s (IRB) 2007 Under-21s championship caught the attention of Stade
Francais’ former president, Max Guazzini. Guazzini handed over Bastareaud his first professional rugby union contract for a senior club.
The 22-year-old Bastareaud made his debut for the Stade Francais during the 2007 season. His brilliant performance and exceptional ball handling and tackling skills earned him a call to the France national rugby union’s team at the end of the season.
Bastareaud weighs 112 kilos and is 6 feet tall and that makes him a formidable source at the centre position. He made his dream international debut for France against the visiting Wales side at Stade de France on March 20, 2007. Bastareaud was named “Man
of the Match” for his exceptional performance in the match.
Bastareaud so far has made nine international appearances for France and has two tries to his name. However, he failed to live up to expectations and was later engulfed by different off field controversies and injuries.
Star-studded Toulon side has also announced that they will play three pre-season matches against the Lyon, Saracens, and Racing Metro on 5th, 12 and 19th of August.
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