30 Jul 2008

Jerry Collins welcomes runaway league star

10:34 am on 30 July 2008

The former All Blacks flanker Jerry Collins is rolling out the welcome mat at the Toulon rugby club in France for runaway league star Sonny Bill Williams.

Collins, who has just joined the French club on a three year contract, believes the renegade Bulldogs player will have no problem switching from league to rugby saying Williams has so much talent he can do anything.

Collins says Toulon, which is coached by former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga, was a great club with a good location, good coach and a great set up.

The French newspaper L'Equipe says Williams, who is in hiding in London, will meet Umaga this week to discuss his switch to rugby.

Meanwhile the legal battle over Williams' move is heating up with NRL lawyers looking to find Williams to serve him with papers to stop him switching codes. William's lawyers are also lining up their legal argument, claiming the NRL's salary cap is effectively a restraint of trade because it limits the money Williams can earn.