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Sam Warburton has held talks with Toulon, but failed to reach agreement on a move to the cash-rich European champions.

That was the claim from Mourad Boudjellal, the Toulon president, who was reported as saying the proposed deal collapsed ‘on wage claims’ and because the French club believed Warburton’s priority would be Wales just one season out from the 2015 World Cup.

“I can tell you that Sam Warburton will not end up in Toulon,” Boudjellal was quoted as saying by Toulon’s official website.

“I met with the player, but it is not agreed on wage claims. So this is an issue that is long closed, even if (he) is a very good player.

“Sam Warburton is the captain of Wales, so that means we will not have him during international matches.

“I told myself that one year from the World Cup, the priority of Sam Warburton would be the World Cup and not the Top 14.”

The Wales and Lions captain’s future remains uncertain, with the Blues saying they need WRU help to finance a fresh deal.

Warburton set a deadline of Wednesday to receive an offer, but that passed on a day when the WRU met with the four regions for talks in Swansea aimed at resolving an increasingly bitter stand-off over whether the regions will participate in the Heineken Cup – minus English clubs – next season, as the WRU have already nominated them to do, or break away entirely to join England’s Aviva Premiership.

The regions are also resisting a union demand that they extend their commitment to the current Participation Agreement which covers player release for Test matches and the distribution of finance.