Sonny Bill Williams can expect some superstar treatment if he joins French rugby club Toulon as expected.

Rugby Club Toulonnais is a far cry these days from what it was when team manager Tom Whitford joined as a player in 2001 - he's helped see to that.

"It's a lot easier now than it was," said Whitford, who played for the club until last year before starting his managerial role in which he serves as a link between the club's many foreign players and their French team-mates.

"I had to fend for myself ... now we've got everything in place whereby a foreigner comes over, he's got his house all ready, he's got his car, phone, internet, even his fridge is full when he arrives."

The only problems players might face when integrating into their new team are the searing Mediterranean heat and the language barrier, but the club does its best to ensure the latter at least is sorted.

"We give them French lessons," Whitford said.

"It's very important that the French players feel as though the foreigners are actually trying to learn French and be part of the French culture."

One recent recruit, former All Blacks star Jerry Collins, who joined the club in June, has settled in well.

"I couldn't be happier," Collins said.

"After playing 10 years in New Zealand ... I'll probably get another 10 years out of myself down here.

"It's a professional club and the facilities are good."

Collins, 27, ended his career in New Zealand in May when he requested a release from his contract with the New Zealand Rugby Union with a year left to run, saying he wanted to play abroad.

Soon he will be playing at the team's home - Stade Mayol - named after concert hall singer Felix Mayol, a local who found success in Paris in the early 20th century.

Perched on the edge of Toulon's impressive marina packed with yachts as far as the eye can see, the 13,700-seat stadium is similarly full of passionate fans for every home game.

Whitford described the club's fans as "quite amazing".

"They're very vocal, very supportive, they get right behind the team but also when things go badly they get onto the team as well," he said.

"But you've got to expect that. That's part of playing professional rugby under pressure."

Collins knows the team is under pressure this year after being promoted to the first division.

They kick off their centenary season against last year's top-flight finalists, Clermont, on August 26.

"In our quarter of the world it's all about rugby," Collins said.

"Why would you want to go some place where there's no pressure."

Daniel Riou has been supporting the team for 40 years and hoped to see Williams in the rouge et noir - the red and black jersey of Toulon Rugby Club.

"He is a big star, a big character," Riou said.

"I would like him to come to Toulon."

AWOL Bulldogs player Williams is believed to be in London after running into visa trouble en route to France.

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