Beauden Barrett: Savea ‘world-class’

Julian Savea’s former Hurricanes team-mate Beauden Barrett was among a host of international rugby stars to vouch their support for Julian Savea after outspoken Toulon boss Mourad Boudjellal ordered him to leave the glamour French club.

The struggling former All Blacks wing said he would be ‘‘putting all the negativity behind me’’ and continue to train with Toulon despite a tirade from Boudjellal, who was so incensed with Savea’s performance in their 19-10 loss to Agen that he said he would seek a ‘‘DNA test’’.

Savea’s brother, All Blacks openside Ardie Savea, backed former Wallabies and Toulon winger Drew Mitchell’s criticism of Boudjellal and several players – past and present – have also paid tribute to Savea, who left New Zealand for Toulon last year.

Barrett was one of them, saying he and his Hurricanes teammates were supporting their comrade.

‘‘I’m supporting Jules and wish him all the best. He’s a great player and I’m sure he’ll bounce back in no time, he’s world-class.’’

Barrett is tossing up his own potential overseas move and said Boudjellal’s comments would make him think twice about where he might end up. ‘‘It certainly doesn’t help,’’ Barrett said.

Another to speak up was Savea’s former All Blacks teammate Jerome Kaino, as were former Hurricanes and Blues centre Pita Ahki, champion South African winger Bryan Habana and Thierry Dusautoir, who starred for France in their 8-7 World Cup final defeat to the All Blacks in 2011.

One of Savea’s Toulon teammates, burly France centre Mathieu Bastareaud, even risked provoking the club’s controversial owner by tweeting his support for Savea.

New Zealanders Kaino and Ahki, who are team-mates in France with Toulouse, replied to Savea on Twitter with ‘‘love you uso’’ and ‘‘my man’’ respectively.

Former Toulon wing Habana, a World Cup winner with South Africa in 2007, tweeted ‘‘onwards and upwards and brother’’, while Dusautoir applauded Savea’s fighting post.