We’ll keep Wilkinson here at any price, vows Toulon boss

MONEY will be no object when it comes to keeping Jonny Wilkinson at Toulon, according to the club’s owner, Mourad Boudjellal.

England fly-half Wilkinson, the record points scorer in Test rugby, moved to the south of France in the summer of 2009 and has made a huge impression, helping the Top 14 outfit to the final of last season’s Amlin Challenge Cup and qualifying for this season’s Heineken Cup.

He has started the new season in a rich vein of form, scoring 23 points in Saturday’s 28-16 win over champions Clermont Auvergne, but his contract expires at the end of the season.

However, comic book magnate Boudjellal said talks have already started over a contract extension and he will pay “any price” to keep England’s 2003 World Cup hero at his club.

He said: “I want to extend [his contract] and I didn’t wait until after Saturday’s game to begin discussions. It’s actually my main priority but I’m not very worried. The player wants to stay and his president wants to keep him at any price so we should come to an agreement quite quickly.”

Meanwhile, Ospreys have received a boost as it appears second row Ian Evans’ ankle injury is not as serious as first feared. The 25-year-old fell awkwardly after a lineout in the Welsh region’s 22-10 Magners League defeat at Munster and received lengthy treatment on the field.

The Wales lock’s career has been blighted by injuries since he suffered a cruciate ligament injury against New Zealand in 2008, and he then tore a tendon in his chest not long after returning to action for Swansea in the Welsh Premiership in October 2009.

But fears the 12-cap forward may be facing another spell on the sidelines eased after an MRI scan.

Ospreys physio Chris Towers said: “Ian sustained an injury to his left foot and ankle in the Munster game and although he is in a fair bit of discomfort at the moment, his scan has shown that the injury is a fairly diffuse issue.

“Basically, he’s sustained grade-one damage to a lot of soft tissues in the foot and ankle, so the prognosis is a lot better than originally feared.”