Reports out of France suggest that Kiwi Bryce Heem will join Toulon
Former All Black Julian Savea has confirmed that his wife Fatima received online threats made to their daughter in Toulon.
Fatima, who is set to rejoin Julian in the south of France after spending some time in New Zealand with the couple's one-year-old daughter Jude, claimed to have received deaththreats and said she feared for her family's safety in the aftermath of the public scolding her husband has received over the past weeks.
"Who would have thought that I'd feel like my life and my daughter's life might be at risk going back to Toulon with the amount of threats and hateful messages I have received from angry fans," she wrote on Twitter.
Fatima Savea's Tweet. Photo / Twitter
A Toulon fans Twitter page has since posted comments assuring Savea and his family's safety, while disgruntled fans expressed their frustration over the treats.
"We are not the mafia here. No one is going to attack his family. We have never had a history of that order here," the page tweeted.
Savea confirmed that threats were made toward his daughter after a fan wrote: "We are not thugs or savages. Talk to your wife a little".
"Please don't tell me what to do kind sir," Savea replied.
"My wife wasn't speaking about all the fans or you or anyone on Twitter. She was talking about the ones who have messaged her with threats towards our daughter on Facebook and Instagram."
Please don’t tell me what to do kind sir. My wife wasn’t speaking about all the fans or you or anyone on Twitter. She was talking about the ones who have messaged her with threats towards our daughter on Facebook and Instagram.
Two weeks ago, Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal told local media he would tear up Savea's contract and "ask for a DNA test" after another disappointing performance from the struggling winger - who is reportedly one of the top earners at Toulon.
"They must have swapped him on the plane [when he joined from the Hurricanes last year]. If I were him, I would apologise and go back to my home country," Boudjellal said.
Current and former players came to Savea's defence after Fatima revealed that she had been the victim of vile attacks on social media.
Fatima Savea says she fears for the safety of her family after receiving threats in France. Photo / Getty
"Take a minute to think about how your words can affect someone's life and their mental health," she tweeted earlier.
"And people wonder why mental health in rugby had become a big problem. Take a minute to be considerate of people's feelings instead of bashing them behind a keyboard or phone screen."
Savea has not featured in either of Toulon's last two matches - victories against Pau and Perpignan.
