Maxime Machenaud races away to score for Racing Metro © Getty Images

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Racing Metro president Jacky Lorenzetti has questioned Toulon's adherence to the €10m salary cap imposed on teams in the Top 14.

Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal poked fun at Racing Metro's lack of success prior to their meeting last weekend comparing them to cyclist Raymond Poulidor who finished on the Tour de France podium eight times but never won the race.

Despite Boudjallal's jibe, Racing Metro had the last laugh winning 17-10 against Toulon. And Lorenzetti has responded to his Toulon counterpart by talking in a cycling metaphor where he accuses Toulon of breaching the salary cap.

"Before the game between our two teams, the president of Toulon made some provocative statements as is he is inclined to do," Lorenzetti said. "By using a cycling metaphor, Mourad Boudjellal has gone off track again. On the pitch Racing responded to these flights of fancy in the best possible way by beating Toulon 17-10. It's just a stage and the race for titles is of course a long one, so there is no point going overboard.

"For the rest of the competition there is one question that needs to be asked to the president of Toulon. The Top 14 cannot be a competition where 13 teams play by the rules of the salary cap, and where Toulon play by their own rules.

"Clear answers - clear like the water in the bottles of virtuous cyclists - need to be provided by Toulon and their president. It's about sporting equity and the future of our sport. While I wait for some clear answers which should be brought to the LNR, I want to pay tribute to Raymond Poulidor, a national hero who had a magnificent 17-year career and was never suspected of doping.

"No club, not even the champions should play with a doped wage budget which would distort the competition."