Rugby: 'I'm James Bond': Toulon president's bizarre Malakai Fekitoa dismissal

Malakai Fekitoa has reportedly signed to play for French rugby club Toulon, though their owner has taken a bizarre stance on confirming the claim.

French newspaper L'Equipe [luh-keep] reports club president Mourad Boudjellal has announced that an All Blacks centre who had won a World Cup was on his way.

The newspaper said the 25-year-old signed with the French club this month.

Boudjellal said the signing was "the biggest coup of the summer in the transfer market".

Toulon has dismissed the reports, saying rumours remain just that until confirmed by their official channels.

But speaking with Radio Sport/Newstalk ZB this morning, Boudjellal could be neither shaken nor stirred to provide a response.

Boudjellal answered the call saying he was James Bond before hanging up.

The son of Algerian immigrants, Boudjellal is a self-made tycoon and has bankrolled Toulon's rise from France's lower leagues to triple European champions.

His strategy has focused on signing some of the world's best players - often at the expense of their national team.

Fekitoa, who has played 24 tests after making his debut in 2014, is a quality midfielder and adds significantly to New Zealand Rugby's depth. He also showed his worth for the Highlanders in their famous come-from-behind victory over the Lions in Dunedin last month when he and Naholo caused the tourists all sorts of trouble.

But he is now behind Williams, Crotty, Anton Lienert-Brown, Ngani Laumape and Crusaders 22-year-old Jack Goodhue in the All Blacks' midfield pecking order.

One of Fekitoa's most memorable tests was the Bledisloe Cup match in Brisbane in 2014. With the All Blacks trailing by six points, Fekitoa scored the try in the 80th minute which gave his side a chance and then watched as Colin Slade kicked the difficult conversion for a dramatic victory.

Another was last November in Dublin when Fekitoa scored two tries against Ireland in the "revenge match" after their loss a fortnight earlier in Chicago and was also yellow carded for a high tackle.