WRU chief Martyn Phillips hopes Leigh Halfpenny returns to Wales

Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Martin Phillips is hoping that fullback Leigh Halfpenny makes a return back to Wales after he was provided with the "best possible offer".

The 28-year-old made a switch from Cardiff Blues to French club Toulon in 2014 and a year later he scored 14 points in the European Champions Cup final to help the Top 14 club record their third successive European title beating Clermont.

With Halfpenny's contract with Toulon about to end this season, it is reported that the French giant have offered him a whopping six-figure deal to retain him on the Cote d'Azur, but his return to former club Cardiff Blues also cannot be ruled out.

In the possibility of him returning to Welsh region, he will be offered a national dual contract with WRU funding him 60 per cent and the remaining by his club.

Phillips revealed that WRU has already offered Halfpenny with the best possible offer and further added that the board will respect any decision taken by the former Wales Under-20.

"Any way you want to look at it, on the pitch he's a match-winner and he is an ambassador for Welsh rugby. He is a hell of a nice guy," said Phillips.

"You would want him in your mix, not at a distance. He is somebody we think a lot of.

"We have made him the best offer we possibly can.

"Obviously, we all hope he comes back (to Wales), but he is his own man, and I respect his decision. I am sure there is a bit of head and heart for him to go through. It's difficult. We have all been in those positions.

"Clearly, I hope he does come back, but if he doesn't, I understand that.

"Obviously, the clock is now ticking, and there is a point at which certainly Toulon would need some certainty.

"The reality is we can pick him (for Wales) anyway, but I am sure Leigh knows that some time in the next couple of weeks he has got to make a call on it."