Rapidly growing rumours of Toulon coach Diego Dominguez exiting the club have been played down by Mourad Boudjellal.
Toulon’s owner has been reported to have fallen out with Dominguez in the run up to the former Italian fly-half succeeding Bernard Laporte as director of rugby.
Speculation has pinned Boudjellal and Dominguez’s disagreement at a difference of opinion over the club’s coaching structure, as Laporte leaves the three-time European Champions Cup winners to pursue the Presidency of the French rugby Federation.
“I deny all the reports in the press from over the last few days,” Boudjellal stated at a press conference.
“There are assumptions which have become assertions which have become statements all happening while the club has made no official communication.
“No one has been fired, there are just ongoing discussions to improve things internally. Diego Dominguez and Jacques Delmas (Toulon’s forwards coach) have not left yet,” Toulon’s owner revealed.
Dominguez is yet to take formal charge of a match having acted as an understudy to Laporte for the past 18 months, fuelling further speculation that Stuart Lancaster will be asked to a travel to the south of France to hold talks and undercut Dominguez’s ascension.
Toulon will begin the 2016/17 season looking to rebound from their 29-21 defeat to Racing Metro in the Top 14 final at the Nou Camp on 24 June.
ADAM ELLIS