Boujellal reveals new Toulon coach

Toulon owner Mourad Boujellal has named former Italy and Stade Francais flyhalf Diego Dominguez as Bernard Laporte's successor when the latter steps down after the 2015/2016 season.

Dominguez, who has no experience of coaching at the top level, will join Toulon in January 2016 to gain experience of the inner workings of the club before replacing Laporte.

"I can say that Diego Dominguez will be Bernard Laporte's successor," Boudjellal told Canal Plus.

"He will arrive on January, 2 2016 and will work for six months with the staff, to get to know the team and the club, to make it a smooth transition."

Boudjellal, whose millions made from his comic publishing business has gone into financing many big name acquisitions over the past few years, said he had no concerns over the lack of experience of the 48-year-old Dominguez.

"He will not only be a great coach he will be the greatest ever.

"He has a hunger to succeed that I have rarely come across," he added.

Boudjellal added that All Blacks centre Ma'a Nonu and Clermont's Fijian wing Napolioni Nalaga would be joining the club on two and three year contracts respectively next season.

With regard to Nonu, Boudjellal said that he was just the type of player they loved at the club.

"It was a wish of ours because Toulon really took off with Tana Umaga [former All Black centre who first played at Toulon before coaching them from 2006-11].

"Nonu is a great centre with a good mouth on him and that is something we like at Toulon," he stated.

Nonu, like his All Blacks teammate Dan Carter, who signed for the other big spending Top 14 club Racing-Metro, will join up after the 2015 World Cup.

Boudjellal admitted Nalaga's wish to join them came out of the blue as he has been a roaring success at Clermont, but there has been not much silverware to show for his tries for them.

"He contacted us a while ago. We were surprised by that but we were interested obviously. He was eager to change and to leave without wanting to denigrate all he had experienced at Clermont," he said.

AFP