Toulon get Carter

[no.8]

DAN Carter has agreed terms to play for star-studded French outfit Toulon, Sunday News can confirm.

The All Blacks pin-up will join the club - coached by Tana Umaga - at the end of the All Blacks Grand Slam tour in November.

The deal, which hangs on the first-placed second division side winning promotion to France's top flight, will ...

*Net Carter a cool $1.4 million for six months work.

*Guarantee him a further $200,000 as a signing bonus.

*Allow him to earn at least another $200,000 from Toulon merchandise sales featuring his name or image.

The extraordinary $1.8 million package could be topped up further by sponsorship and appearance money he collects during his time in France.

The NZRU is still hopeful of convincing Carter to return to New Zealand and All Blacks rugby at the end of his "sabbatical" in Europe.

While a deal between Carter and the NZRU is in the works, sources suggest Carter may wait until he has sampled life overseas before re-signing with the NZRU through to the end of the 2011 World Cup. That contract would take effect from the completion date of his Toulon deal.

[laura]

He is one expensive bloke! That club must have a LOT of money. They certainly have a star-studded international line-up.

[chook]

Bloody hell! Something has to be done about all these Euro-rich Euro clubs buying willy nilly. Carter is a big draw card wherever he goes. Rather here than over there.

[oxleymoron]

Carters deal is equivalent to the amount of money being paid to Ponting in the IPL (in terms of a wage per week comparison).

[prop53]

for that money you would play anywhere eh?