French rugby club Toulon had signed for NRL star Sonny Bill Williams almost two weeks before he abandoned the Bulldogs mid-season, it has been revealed.
Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal has admitted concocting a number of stories to ensure as smooth a transition as possible for Williams, and claimed Williams was already an official team member when he flew out of Australia on July 26 - in stark contrast to the club's official line peddled when the saga was in its infancy.
"His agents came to Toulon and we came to a financial agreement pretty easily," said Boudjellal.
"I only had one demand. Given his inexperience I didn't want him to be considered as one of the two supplementary players we were allowed to sign (after the July 15 deadline for signing players).
"So on the morning of the 15th SBW sent us his signed contract that we sent straight away to the league."
Boudjellal admitted to blatantly lying when he denied Williams had signed with Toulon, and to fabricating a story involving coach Tana Umaga.
"The problem was the four- year contract that Sonny had with the Bulldogs," Boudjellal told French rugby bible Midi Olympique.
"He quickly explained to us that his departure from Australia would not be simple and that the Bulldogs' directors wouldn't just let him go like that.
"So I decided on a total media blackout."
"Tana Umaga and I decided to say he had come for a meeting between him and SBW to speak of his possible signing."
"I measured the risk of engaging a player who had never played in rugby union but Tana was sure about him.
"He assured me that we wouldn't have anything to regret. So I gave him the green light to contact him.
"He came back 24 hours later to say he had the agreement of the player to come."
The club then hid Williams in London, Paris and Toulon to avoid the swarming media and the prospect of Williams being served with legal documents.
Boudjellal also commented on his dealings with the Bulldogs to secure Williams' release.
"At the outset they wanted an astronomical sum of money. Then they asked us to make a step in their direction and not play SBW against Toulouse.
"It was only a friendly match so I accepted unconditionally. The following morning the tone of the discussions were a lot more peaceful.
"The Bulldogs directors wanted to get out of it with their heads high and with the most money possible.
"We came to an agreement fairly easily especially with the player in person accepting to pay a large part of the financial compensation to come to Toulon."
As soon as Williams left Australia, Boudjellal said: "We did make contact some time ago with Sonny Bill Williams.
"He said to us that he wanted to move from rugby league to union but that is where it finished."
He also told ABC radio: "Today we haven't signed a contract because I haven't met Sonny Bill Williams.
"I know he wishes to play rugby. I know he wishes to play at Toulon under Tana Umaga."
