SYDNEY, August 8, 2008 (AFP) - An Australian court on Friday blocked rugby league back rower Sonny Bill Williams from switching codes to play for French Rugby Union club Toulon, just hours before his debut.

The Canterbury Bulldogs team sought the injunction against their former star, a New Zealand international, after he walked out on a five-year contract and flew to France nearly two weeks ago to join the Top 14 team.

The ruling by the New South Wales Supreme Court, which came just 12 hours ahead of Williams' debut with Toulon, means he will be in contempt of court if he plays in Friday's friendly.

'The evidence before the court satisfies that the first defendant (Williams) has failed to attend to his contractual responsibilities,' Judge Robert Austin said at the hearing at which Williams was not represented.

'There is evidence he has entered into a contract with the second defendant (Toulon)... and intends to play in a rugby match this evening.'

The judge noted the jurisdictional difficulties in the case as Williams says he intends to remain in France, but said the Bulldogs and the National Rugby League (NRL) had proved the player could be successfully sued for damages in Australia if he breaches the order.

'My conclusion is that the making of an interlocutory interim injunction will not be futile,' the judge said.

Williams, 23, left Australia without warning just one year into his five-year deal with the Bulldogs and walked into what is reportedly a multi-million dollar deal with the French club.

The NRL has sought direct intervention from European rugby authorities -- as well as the Australian justice system -- to force Williams to return and prevent a feared mass exit of the game's elite stars to rich European clubs.

But the Top 14 French club has appeared unfazed by the threat of legal action, saying that because he was switching codes he was free to join whichever team he wanted.

The court heard that Williams was served with New South Wales court documents earlier this week after they were thrown over a fence as he trained with Toulon.

But despite receiving the court documents, which were picked up and handed to him by a Toulon trainer, Williams was not represented at Friday's hearing.

Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg warned Williams that the club would take the matter further if he breached the injunction against his playing.

'The Bulldogs will continue to stand up for what's right for the club and continue to stand up for the principle and sanctity of the contract,' Greenberg told reporters after the hearing in Sydney.

The NRL's chief executive, David Gallop, hailed the injunction.

'It is a very serious matter for such an order to be granted and anyone who breaks an order of the New South Wales Supreme Court would face contempt proceedings from that court,' Gallop said in a statement.

Williams was unrepentant about his sudden move, telling Australian television late Thursday he did it for more than the money and that the factors included a bust-up with Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes.

'I'm no coward, you know. I stood up for myself and I stood up for player rights,' he told Nine Network.

'That's not a coward act, that's showing some balls to really stand up and show that we don't have to cop that, you know what I mean. We can get what we deserve.

'If some good comes out of what I've done, which I think it will, you know hopefully these players do start getting treated a bit better, not just like cattle.'