‘WALES WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR WEBB’

TOULON BOSS STANDS FIRM ON DEAL:

OUTSPOKEN Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal has warned Wales they will pay if Rhys Webb doesn’t join his starstudded squad in France next summer.

The French heavyweights announced earlier this month the signing of Lions scrum-half Webb on a three-year deal when his Ospreys contract runs out at the end of this season.

But that was thrown into the air on Monday when the Welsh Rugby Union announced an immediate change to their selection policy that stated any player with less than 60 caps for Wales, who plays outside the country, will be ineligible for selection.

Webb, the best scrum-half this country has to offer and a British and Irish Lion, only has 28 caps and would be a major casualty of the new law.

Wales boss Warren Gatland, who admitted he was uncomfortable with the situation, suggested Webb could get out of his move having only signed a pre-agreement.

And Boudjellal has invited Gatland to pay the release.

“I have a contract with Webb,” the Toulon owner told L’Equipe. “If Warren Gatland wants to pay the clause to release him, no worry.

“But if Gatland pays, it will require a certified cheque. I’ve heard from neither Webb nor his agent today, but it does not change anything for us. I am very quiet.”

The change came as a huge blow for the 28-year-old, whose 2015 Rugby World Cup was cruelly snatched away following an injury in the final warm-up game against Italy.

Both Webb and his agent, Derwyn Jones, remain adamant that they weren’t made aware of the policy change until after he’d penned his move to the Stade Felix Mayol.

Meanwhile, George North is set to miss all of Wales’ autumn internationals after suffering cruciate ligament sprain which will require 6-8 weeks rehabilitation. Northampton Saints confirmed the severity of the injury last night.

A tangled Webb... and how does the new ruling affect the Welsh exiles? Pages 41-43