All Black Daniel Carter looks set to play for Perpignan in next season's Heineken Cup campaign.
Carter will join Perpignan on a six month contract in December after the All Blacks' end of year tour to Britain and Ireland and should be available for selection to Perpignan for Rounds 5 and 6 of their Pool 3 Heineken Cup campaign.
The 26-year-old out half has been consistently linked to Tana Umaga's newly promoted Toulon for his planned six month sabbatical from New Zealand but the out-half says the attraction of playing Heineken Cup rugby swung it for Perpignan.
"I have done plenty of research on both Toulon and Perpignan and whilst I have no doubt that I would have enjoyed Toulon, in the end, Perpignan's qualification for next year's Heineken Cup swayed my decision," Carter said.
"If I'm going to play rugby in Europe I want to test myself against the best Europe can offer and I am excited about the challenges both the Top 14 and the Heineken Cup will bring."
Perpignan will face double champions Leicester Tigers, the Ospreys and Benetton Treviso in Pool 3 of the 2008/09 Heineken Cup.