TOULON PRESIDENT MOURAD Boudjellal has confirmed that openside flanker Steffon Armitage has requested a release from the last year of his contract in order to return to England.
Speaking to the Au Contact show on Eurosport last night, Boudjellal stated that Armitage had made the request after speaking to England head coach Eddie Jones.
Under current RFU rules, players based outside England are not eligible to be selected for the national team aside from in ‘exceptional circumstances’.
30-year-old Armitage has five England caps but his most recent international appearance came in 2010, when he was still contracted to London Irish.
Armitage has helped Toulon to three Champions Cup successes and a Top 14 title since moving to France in 2011 and there have been repeated calls for England to invoke the ‘exceptional circumstances’ clause to include the turnover specialist.
It now seems that Jones, who led England to a Grand Slam at his first attempt this season, wants to see Armitage back on English soil so he can be selected. James Haskell was Jones’ choice at openside flanker during the Six Nations.
“Steffon came to me and told me he had the opportunity to play for England,” said Boudjellal on Au Contact.
Eddie Jones called him. He is under contract. I could let him go to an English club but that would have its price. It would be expensive.”
Armitage had previously been linked to Bath, but Wasps have now emerged as the most likely destination for the openside flanker.
Speaking today, Wasps director of rugby Dai Young told the BBC, “We would certainly be interested in bringing somebody like Steffon back,” but indicated that there has been no contact with Toulon over a possible deal.
Wasps will lose openside flanker George Smith this summer, but any move for Armitage would involve a transfer fee, which Boudjellal has indicated would not be cheap.
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