TOULON PRESIDENT MOURAD Boudjellal directed a trademark broadside in the wake of his club’s 43 – 20 drubbing at the hands of Montpellier, but this time two of his own players were in the firing line.
The comic book millionaire says he is ‘ashamed’ of loosehead Xavier Chiocci, who he says returned overweight ahead of the new campaign.
The French international has made just one replacement appearance in the four-game old Top 14 season, and Boudjellal certainly seems keen to light a fire under the 27-year-old.
“Today, Chiocci has no respect for the club,” Boudjellal says in an interview with Var-Matin.
“It’s shameful, if it’s going to go on like that, it will not bother me if he goes somewhere else… until he realises he’s the best French loosehead and he’s spoiling that, it’s going to be bad, we’re going to do everything to make him come back (in shape) — I’m very disappointed.”
Chiocci can at least take consolation that he was not the only front row at the club singled out for ridicule, although that solace will be tempered by the fact that Boudjellal’s other scapegoat - Georgian tighthead Levan Chilachava — will often be the one pitted against him in live scrum training.
“Chilachava, I will be ashamed of having exploded in a scrum as he did in Montpellier when he is perhaps the best left pillar of the championship.”
Toulon go to Paris this Sunday to face Stade Francais in search of their third win of the season.
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