Toulon owner hits out at ‘biased’ Barnes despite win

Toulon’s eccentric owner Mourad Boudjellal has taken a swipe at English referee Wayne Barnes, accusing him of showing bias against his all-star team during Sunday’s Heineken Cupquarter-final.

Toulon head coach Bernard Laporte was serving a ban after criticising match officials so Boudjellal took the unusual step of hosting the post-match press conference after his side’s 29-14 win over Leinster.

And the billionaire didn’t take a conservative approach.

“We were told there was one referee we had to avoid at all costs but tough luck,” Boudjellal told French media.

“We understood we would be refereed by a ref who Leinster always seem to win with.

“I remember we played a Challenge Cup final with this referee a few years back and I remember before the game a number of French rugby executives were already celebrating our defeat.

“We had controversial decisions against us in the past and, yes, I was afraid.

“I thought it would not be agreeable and I certainly didn’t agree with all the decisions.

“The referee was indeed a bit biased.”

Boudjellal was banned for 130 days in 2012 by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby after he accused the referee in charge of his side’s Top 14 defeat Clermont of sodomy. Boudjellal said: “I had my first refereeing sodomy in the semi final [last season] against Clermont. I’ve just had my second tonight. It appeared to hurt the first time but it was just as bad this time. We will review the images not on Youtube but on YouPorn. Clermont are a great team. They did not need it.”