Rugby-Boudjellal wants Toulon to quit France for Premiership

PARIS, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Outspoken Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal wants the European champions to turn their backs on the French league and join England's Aviva Premiership, English rugby officials confirmed on Thursday. Boudjellal has asked Premiership Rugby whether Toulon, currently fourth in France's Top 14, could join the English rugby elite. The league told Reuters it would discuss the unprecedented request with its member clubs although it is likely to be given short shrift. French media have reported that Boudjellal, whose financial backing has transformed the club into one of the best in Europe, has been at odds with the French league over salary caps and bonuses paid to players. The English league currently has a lower cap than its French counterpart -- a status that has enabled clubs to lure some of the sport's top names to France. Toulon, who have won three successive European titles, as well as the French crown, since Boudjellal became the club's main shareholder in 2006, boast galactic names, such as South Africa's Bryan Habana, Australians Matt Giteau and Quade Cooper, Wales fullback Leigh Halfpenny and England flanker Steffon Armitage. Ironically, Armitage was among those who missed out on a place in England's World Cup squad for last year's tournament because he was based abroad. In a letter sent to the Aviva Premiership, Boudjellal said the European champions would provide "huge added value" to the English competition, according to French sports daily L'Equipe. "I wrote asking for a contact. If it's not possible the next season, perhaps it's going to be the one after that," Boudjellal said. "For them  it would be a huge added value. And it's a serious approach." A spokesman for Premiership Rugby said Boudjellal's groundbreaking request had been received on Wednesday and would be discussed with the clubs. Some rugby leagues do contain an international mix -- the Pro 12 has Welsh, Scottish, Irish and Italian teams -- but the Aviva Premiership is exclusively English-based, and any move to change that would require the agreement of the respective federations. (Reporting by Julien Pretot,; Editing by Neville Dalton)