Toulon president believes Paul O’Connell will be back sooner than you think

Paul O'Connell better get used to being contradicted by his new president.

Mourad Boudjellal is as outspoken as Toulon, his club, are successful. The European champions' president is the most visible of his ilk, on this continent at least, and regularly holds court with the French press. Earlier this week, O'Connell spoke to the Irish press and revealed his hamstring injury would have him out for between four to eight months. Boudjellal believes the former Ireland captain was calling the glass half empty. During a press briefing to introduce Australian out-half Quade Cooper, Boudjellal set an optimistic return date of January. He told reporters, "On the medical records we have today, O'Connell should be 100% operational, ready to play, for mid-January at the latest. [That is] if there are no complications during rehabilitation." With O'Connell on a reported €600,000 a year with the Top 14 side, it is in Toulon's interests to get him back on the field - and get their money's worth - as soon as is medically possible. Until then, Toulon will replace O'Connell in their squad with a medical joker. Maybe Donncha O'Callaghan jumped ship to Worcester a couple of months too soon.