Toulon expects… cross-coder Ben Barba to emulate SBW
There’s pressure on Toulon’s new signing Ben Barba to perform from the outset, as his demanding new boss publicly recalls certain former cross-code success Sonny Bill Williams.
Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal invoked the memory of double World Cup-winner Sonny Bill Williams at the club’s official unveiling of its latest cross-code punt, Ben Barba.
Barba, the former Cronulla Sharks player who quit the NRL after being slapped with a 12-match ban for illicit drug use, has signed for the Top 14 club until the end of the current campaign, with an option for a further two seasons.
Contrary to speculation in Australia that Barba’s Toulon debut could be as long as a year away, French rugby media have said he could make his Top 14 bow as early as this weekend, when Toulon face Lyon at Stade Mayol, despite – like Williams when he first arrived – never having previously played rugby union at elite level.
Given Toulon’s strength across the back line, even during the annual player drain that is the Six Nations, such an early outing seems unlikely. But Barba’s lack of experience in the 15-man game does not concern Boudjellal: “Talent, genius, does not need much time to adapt. He is, for me, a phenomenal player. There are not many [like him] in world rugby.”
The Toulon president cited Williams as a success story that he hopes Barba – on a deal reportedly worth €560,000 a season – will emulate. Williams made his try-scoring union debut for Toulon as a replacement against Clermont just a month after quitting the NRL’s Canterbury Bulldogs in July 2008. He went on score five more times in 33 appearances for the Top 14 side between 2008 and 2010, and has since won two World Cups with the All Blacks and a Super Rugby title with the Chiefs.
Nor is the 27-year-old Barba bothered about his apparent lack of rugby union credentials. He played the 15-a-side game as a teenager in Australia before opting to play rugby league professionally. “I’m not new to the sport,” he said. “I’ve played the game and have a bit of history – but it has been a while.”
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One of the questions still to be answered is how and where he will fit into any Toulon team. “I played at full-back in rugby league – but it’s obviously a different sort of role here in rugby union. I think I’m capable of playing anywhere in the backline … but I’m new to this team, so I guess I’ll just do my job and whatever’s asked of me.”
But it seems Toulon are not looking to change much about their new signing: “One thing that drew me here was when I spoke to [head coach] Mike [Ford] and how he wanted me to play. He … wants me to play as if I was playing rugby league, my natural game. I think that’s what brought me here – the direction and how Mike wants me to play.”
Fitness, meanwhile, should not be a problem. “I’d like to think I’m ready [to play]. I had to be physically ready because I didn’t know what was going to happen. I didn’t want to come here out of shape. I wanted to come here and play as soon as possible.
“I’ve walked around the gym and I’ve seen the pictures of past teams and great players – like Sonny and Jonny Wilkinson – and the guys they have right now, like Matt [Giteau] and Bryan [Habana]. I’m just looking forward to joining the team and getting out on the paddock and playing some rugby.”
Barba’s club-country-code switch came after he was hit with a 12-game drugs ban in November and initially released by Cronulla Sharks. He would later re-sign with the club on a one-year contract, but the NRL delayed ratifying this second deal, which would have allowed him to begin serving his ban.
That was when Toulon made their offer. Boudjellal said: “Everyone has the right to make mistakes. An error should not determine a lifetime. We want him to go into the rugby academies and schools and tell the kids where not to go wrong.”
Barba admitted that the situation in Australia was difficult – but insisted he was determined to put his past behind him: “It was quite tough to begin with but … I’m in Toulon now, looking forward to this challenge. I’m ready to move on and ready to have a go at playing rugby.
“It was my decision to come here. I could have taken the easy road and stayed in Australia, but I wanted to challenge myself by coming over here.
“I see this as a new and exciting challenge and one that will take me out of my comfort zone and test me as a person. It’s something I’m really looking forward to.”
And he had a message for French rugby journalists. “The media [in France] might not be as crazy as the Australian rugby league press. Hopefully I can perform really well and keep you all on my good side.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to comments