Kolbe likely to stay at Toulon despite Japan links

Cheslin Kolbe is unlikely to be sold to a club in Japan given the latest comments by Toulon following exit rumours.

While his club might reap the financial rewards, they are not willing to let him go just yet.

“We are in discussion with Cheslin Kolbe… His departure would free up the payroll yes, but the sportsman prevails. We will not sell off Cheslin Kolbe. His first desire is to stay with us, even if there are huge requests from Japan,” explains the Toulon president Bernard Lemaître.

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Kolbe has been a star

RugbyRama insist that the club will turn down any potential interest in the wing’s services despite an injury-hit time since he arrived two years ago from Toulouse.

LIVE UPDATES: SPRINGBOKS’ ROAD TO THE RUGBY WORLD CUP

The Springbok flyer also laid out his intentions to stay.

“I assure you and the fans can believe me: I will be in Toulon next year,” Kolbe told RugbyRama.

“The latest misinformation about me has been frustrating and it has caused a lot of distractions as well as pressure around me. It is just crazy. I’ll be there and who knows, maybe I’ll stay longer than people say.”

Kolbe is currently sidelined with an ankle injury but is likely to be key when the Springboks defend their World Cup crown in France later this year.

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SPRINGBOKS’ 2023 FIXTURES

Rugby Championship

8 July: Springboks vs Australia (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)

✈ 15 July: South Africa vs New Zealand (Mount Smart, Auckland)

29 July: Springboks vs Argentina (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)

World Cup warm-ups

✈ 5 August: South Africa vs Argentina (Vélez Stadium, Buenos Aires)

✈ 19 August: South Africa vs Wales (Millennium Stadium, Cardiff)

✈ 25 August: Springbok vs New Zealand (Twickenham Stadium, London)

RUGBY WORLD CUP

✈ 10 September: South Africa vs Scotland (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille) 

✈ 17 September: Springbok vs Romania (Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux) 

✈ 23 September: South Africa vs Ireland (Stade de France, Saint-Denis, Paris) 

✈ 1 October: South Africa vs Tonga (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille)

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