Huw Jones leaves Glasgow for Toulon after Scotland teammate White seals his decision

Huw Jones will swap Glasgow Warriors for Toulon next season, with the Scotland centre revealing that a conversation with scrum-half Ben White was enough to convince him the Top 14 move was the right call.

Jones, 32, visited Toulon’s campus ahead of his arrival in the south of France and came away with his decision firmly vindicated. “Really cool to be here,” he told the club website. “This is my first time visiting Toulon. Got to have a look around at the town and see the campus. The facility is amazing.”

The British & Irish Lion has been one of the standout centres in the United Rugby Championship over the past several seasons, and his departure from Scotstoun will leave a significant gap at Glasgow. Yet Jones was candid about why the pull of Toulon proved irresistible, even with the Warriors in strong form.

“Things are going really well at Glasgow at the moment. We’ve got a strong squad. We won the league two years ago,” he said. “It was a difficult decision, but it was also an easy decision in a way because of the history that Toulon has, the kind of club it is. I’ve always wanted to play for a club like Toulon. But yeah, it didn’t take me long to be convinced.”

White, who made the same move to the Stade Félix Mayol earlier, played a central role in persuading his international teammate. “He’s told me loads about it — all about the club, about playing for Toulon,” Jones said. “I had a few conversations with him when Toulon first got in contact with me. He just had to describe his lifestyle down here, how the club is, how it works. And the fans, the atmosphere at the stadium. It was an easy decision.”

Jones arrives with a realistic picture of what Top 14 rugby demands. He has faced Toulon twice in European competition — winning once, losing once — and is under no illusions about the physical toll of a long French season.

“I’ve heard from the coaches and some of the players that it’s a tough competition to play in. There’s no easy games at all. Every week is difficult,” he said. “Lots of big players around. Very physical game. So I pride myself on my physicality as well. It’s something I’m looking forward to.”

Having watched Toulon win multiple European titles during his formative years, Jones says the club’s history only adds to his excitement rather than the pressure. “I know a lot about the history of Toulon, having watched a lot of rugby growing up, seeing Toulon win championships,” he added. “But yeah, it just makes me excited to join next season.”