Share

Toulon hope for Habana magic

Toulon - Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal is counting on some magic from his latest big signing, Bryan Habana, when the Springbok wing makes his Top 14 debut on Saturday.

"Each time I managed to sign a big-name player, be that (Tana) Umaga or (Jonny) Wilkinson, he has succeeded in doing something decisive in his first match," Boudjellal said.

"I hope this magic will continue in Grenoble, but the magic, it's something quite tricky to manage, it's not an exact science.

"It works or it doesn't work."

Likely to be named among the replacements for Saturday's match against Grenoble, Habana might only have a matter of minutes to show his immediate worth to his demanding president.

Habana, one of the deadliest finishers in world rugby after having amassed 51 tries in 88 matches for the Springboks, has rejoined Toulon after appearing in the opening two matches of the Rugby Championships.

The winger was present for pre-season with the French club and played two friendlies.

"When he arrived in July, I thought that he'd already been there last season," said scrum-half Sebastien Tillous-Borde.

"He's adapted very quickly.

"He makes the effort to speak French and he's very smiley, it's important for the squad."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
loading... Live
North West 0
Warriors RSA 145/7
loading... Live
Titans RSA 0
Lions 149/7
loading... Live
Western Province 173/4
Boland 0
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
33% - 1817 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1777 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1084 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 461 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 187 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
5% - 254 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE