Top 14 Orange
Bastareaud: I am ready to become a man
ESPNscrum Staff
July 19, 2011
Stade Francais' centre Mathieu Bastareaud is caught, Stade Francais v Perpignan, Top 14, Stade Charlety, Paris, France, March 5, 2011
Bastareaud will hope to reclaim his 2010 form after he was left out of Marc Lièvremont's provisional training squad for the World Cup © Getty Images
Enlarge
Related Links
Players/Officials: Mourad Boudjellal | Mathieu Bastareaud
Tournaments/Tours: Top 14 Orange

French international centre Mathieu Bastareaud has been unveiled by Toulon and declared he is ready to "become a man."

Bastareaud's unveiling ends one of the summer's most prolonged transfer saga after his former club, Stade Francais, were originally adamant that the nine-cap centre would be plying his trade in Paris for the 2011-12 season. But Toulon's influential owner Mourad Boudjellal pursued the international and eventually landed his man in the wake of the Parisian club's financial troubles.

The 22-year-old has struggled to find the same form he displayed during France's Grand Slam triumph at the 2010 Six Nations and has since been left out of Marc Lievremont's preliminary squad for the World Cup. Toulon owner Boudjellal claimed Bastareaud was psychologically "no longer able to play for Stade Francais" and following an agreement between the two sides, Bastareaud was delighted to be in the new surroundings of the Stade Mayol.

"I'm super excited," Bastareaud said. "It is a legendary club. Great players have come here and I want to put my name in the history of this club. I know most of the players here, which will make things easier. I made mistakes but the past is the past, I have left my little cocoon to finally become a man."

Bastareaud was unveiled alongside fellow new signings rugby league convert Willie Mason and centre Mafileo Kefu in front of 4,000 Toulon supporters. The trio will be joined at Toulon next season by South Africa lock Bakkies Botha and England flanker Steffon Armitage.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices