Willie Mason set to make debut for Toulon against England – Rugby Union update
Controversial Australian rugby player, Willie Mason, is set to make his union debut for Toulon against England at Twickenham next Sunday. Mason has made the move after he was sacked by his Super League club. Hull KR, for meeting Toulon directors on May 21st.
French club Toulon has become one of the highest spending European clubs which and has hired several leading rugby players in recent years.
Mason is joining Toulon followed by English player, Jonny Wilkinson, and leading centre from Wales, Gavin Henson. Toulon is reported to have offered Mason a heavy amount of 395,000 Euros for one year. Initially, Mason has signed the contract for just one
year and he may extend it for another.
Mason has been ensnared in many controversies since his International rugby debut. He has been warned, cautioned, and even banned many times by International Rugby Board and Australian Rugby Union. He stained his career first in 2003, when he tested positive
for drug usage. He was spared by the IRB as the drugs proved recreational but was warned to avoid such incidents in the future.
He was banned for one match in 2006 as he knocked out one of the British player, Stuart Fielden, in a Tri-Nation match, played in Sydney. Mason was fined by ARU in 2009 for urinating in a public place and now he has breached the code of conduct of Super
League club Hull KR by approaching Toulon directors.
Talking to the media Mason revealed his new contract and said, "I'm just so excited to be playing rugby and I'm looking forward to the challenge. I've certainly jumped in the deep end in agreeing to play for the Barbarians without having any rugby experience."
He further said that, "If you ask all the boys, I've always told them I've wanted to have a crack at rugby and I've always been the type to jump in at the deep end, and I'm ready to try the best I can to make an instant switch."
The Barbarians squad is expected to announce today their upcoming match against England.
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