Alainu’uese heads to France for talks over Toulon switch

GLASGOW WARRIORS star Brian Alainu’uese has travelled to France to discuss a possible move to star-studded Toulon. Although Warriors want to keep the second row, they will struggle to match any offer from the French giants. The 24-year-old Kiwi, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has met with officials at the Top14 club who claim he is ‘on trial’ with them for a week. Glasgow assistant head coach Kenny Murray would only admit Alainu’uese was ‘looking at different options’. But he claimed: ‘He is having a discussion and a chat and that is the extent of it. ‘There is no training involved in it. He is not on trial. He will be looking at different options but we are still in discussion with him. ‘We cannot comment until we have further information.’ Although Alainu’uese has yet to play this season — with his career pockmarked by injury since arriving at Glasgow two years ago — he remains a top talent. ‘The main priority at the moment is to get him back on the pitch,’ said Murray. ‘He’s been out for a lengthy period of time, which is obviously difficult for us. He has started training but we are not able to give an exact date of when we think he’ll be back playing.’ Meanwhile, Murray revealed Glasgow are concerned over Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg’s fitness. He picked up an ankle knock early in the game against Munster a fortnight ago yet played on for most of the match. He has returned from the Glasgow squad in South Africa and Murray added: ‘We’ll get the results soon and will find out if there is any treatment required.’