Jonny Wilkinson, no more than an occasional rugby player these days but still the player with the most caps from England’s World Cup winning team, has ended his 12-year stay at Newcastle in favour of a two-season deal with Toulon, France… the French club financed by wealthy businessman Mourad Boudjellal.

Wilkinson, still recovering from a knee dislocation from last September, will earn around £750,000 a year playing alongside nine fellow recruits from Premiership and Celtic League sides.

Sébastien Bruno and Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe of Sale, prop Tim Ryan of Munster, Bristol flanker Joe El-Abd, Cardiff centre Jamie Robinson and Kris Chesney with Saracens have already signed up.

If ever you find yourself in France during the month of July, you will find it hard to ignore the carnival that is the Tour de France.  The 2009 race kicks off on Saturday, 4th July at Port Hercule in the independent monarchy of Monaco.  It will be the 17th time since 1954 (Amsterdam) that the cycle race has started outside the borders of “l’Hexagone” (France).  The Tour ends on Sunday, 26th July in Paris.