Robinson aiming high with Toulon

By Nick Webb

Jamie Robinson spent a decade with Cardiff and the Blues

Cardiff Blues and Wales centre Jamie Robinson is targeting a top-six place in France with Toulon after swapping the Arms Park for the south of France.

Robinson is part of the big-spending revolution on the Mediterranean.

That will see him playing outside the likes of England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson and Puma Felipe Contepomi.

"It's a new team and there are a lot of new players so it'll be very difficult at the start, but we're all very excited to be here," said Robinson.

"We have the players to be in the top six."

Robinson knows that the team have the fans as well as the money behind them.

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"They're very passionate, I heard there'd be 5,000 here [for the first training session] and it's very good for the players," said the 29-year-old.

Robinson won 23 caps between 2001 and 2007 and, despite the Blues' success last season, decided to move on after falling down the Wales pecking order.

He will not partner ex-Magners League opponent Felipe Contepomi at the start of the season, with the ex-Leinster fly-half-cum-centre recovering from surgery on a cruciate ligament injury.

Robinson has stolen a march on his new Argentine partner - by giving his first news conference in French!

Contepomi is already looking forward to playing alongside Wilkinson.

"Definitely Wilkinson is one of the greatest in my generation if not the greatest, and playing with him will be interesting," said the Argentine.

"It's a big challenge [playing in France], I've played in England, played in the Magners League and now it's totally different."