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Toulon cancel friendly after far-right mayor elected

ESPN Staff

Mourad Boudjellal's side will not be travelling to Beziers © Getty Images Enlarge

Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal has cancelled a friendly against French side Beziers after they voted a far-right mayor into power.

Toulon were set to play the second-division side in July but they have voted in Robert Menard as their new mayor, a man who received backing from the National Front. Menard was elected into power on March 30 and Boudjellal has since cancelled the friendly.

"I don't want to go to a town that in the first round voted almost 50%, or not far off, 45%, for a National Front candidate," Boudjellal told RTL. "When I meet a player, I want to ask myself first of all whether he's a good player or not, rather than whether he's black or white."

He added: "50% of them voted for a candidate who advocates that foreigners are at fault and that there are too many foreigners in France."

And ahead of Saturday's game against Leinster, reports on AFP claim Jonny Wilkinson is set to be fit. Wilkinson missed last Saturday's game against Toulouse with a thigh injury but sources close to the club have said he will be available. With Wilkinson back, Frederic Michalak will probably have to settle for a spot on the bench.

In other team news for Toulon, Martin Castrogiovanni should be fit after injuring his ribs during the Six Nations but Bakkies Botha and Ali Williams are likely to miss out.

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