Halfpenny given all-clear for Lions tour by Toulon

Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny has confirmed that Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal will not stand in his way of joining the Lions when they depart for New Zealand on May 29.

The Top 14 final clashes with the first game of the Lions tour against the New Zealand Barbarians on June 3. Boudjellal has previously fought international-player release when it has overlapped with Toulon fixtures. However, Halfpenny ensured the Lions release was built into his last contract renewal and revealed that Boudjellal congratulated him in person.

Halfpenny said: “Had I not had that written in then I would have had to look at my options. Representing the Lions is the pinnacle of any rugby player’s career. That was a big part of my decision.”

Despite being named player of the series in Australia, Halfpenny admits he was “hugely” anxious whether he would be included for a third tour. “I barely slept I was so nervous,” he said.

Fellow Lions Owen Farrell and Elliot Daly have been nominated for the Rugby Players’ Association Player of the Year award alongside Daly’s Wasps team-mates Jimmy Gopperth and Christian Wade and the Northampton No8 Louis Picamoles. he ‘blue card’ trial in New Zealand to improve awareness and treatment of concussion appears to have had success and has now been adopted by the Australian Rugby Union.

Referees issue a blue card to a player suspected of receiving a concussion, who must then leave the field and complete a series of return-to-play protocols, including a three-week break from training and playing.

It is particularly aimed at grass-roots levels where clubs do not have access to the medical resources of the professional game.

After a trial in the Northland region since 2014, blue cards are now being used in all adult games in the Mitre 10 Cup provincial unions this season, as well as some age-grade games.

The Rugby Football Union, which has its own concussion programme, has no plans to implement the system, however, and it will not be applicable for the British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand. ood news for Aaron Mauger, the former Leicester Tigers coach, who this week has been appointed to the coaching team at Super Rugby side the Highlanders.

Mauger, the former All Black centre, was dismissed by Leicester just 24 hours after guiding the club to the Anglo-Welsh Cup title last month and with the club just one point outside the Aviva Premiership play-off places. The 36-year-old will move to Dunedin in July.