‘Manu will win if he wages war’
LAWYER SAYS LEICESTER WILL WANT A QUICK FIX
MANU TUILAGI has been told he has an open goal in front of him if he decides to take legal action against Leicester following his split with theTigers.
The England centre is looking for a new club after refusing to accept a revised contract, which included a 25 per cent wage cut for next season, by the June 30 deadline imposed by the Tigers.
Tuilagi and his fellow rebels have been informed the Tigers’ “strong-arm” tactics have left them wide open to a claim for damages.
Sports lawyer Richard Cramer, of Front Row Legal, said: “Leicester have no defence in my view on the question of liability. The only thing that will get them out of trouble is the hope the players will get fixed up and that whatever salary they were earning at Leicester is replaced by their salary at another club.
“The club has forced the hand of the players. Some of them have capitulated with extensions to their contracts but some of them have decided they don’t want to accept that. Tuilagi has dug his heels in and decided he does not want to take a pay cut.
“What Leicester are probably expecting is the players to claim free-agency status so in effect they can walk out of their contracts. Leicester would probably have to admit they have no grounds to fight that.
“Tuilagi is the highest earner and they probably worked out that, while it might not be an English Premiership club that could step in and pay the same salary, he might be able to command a £500,000 salary in France or Japan.”
If Tuilagi cannot find a club to pay equivalent wages – as would almost certainly be the case if he remained in England – then he will be able to pursue Leicester for the difference in salary. The likelihood of Tuilagi staying in the cash-strapped Premiership looks thin with big-spending Bristol ruling themselves out along with Bath and Sale.
Kiwi back row Jordan Taufua will shortly be added to the five players already confirmed as departing Leicester, having also refused the pay cut.
Saracens captain Brad Barritt is considering extending his career in his native South Africa having turned down a contract extension.
“I haven’t ruled it out. I’ve got to assess how I feel about playing, whether the appetite to continue is still there,” said Barritt.
LONDON SCOTTISH are to leave Richmond after 127 years next summer and move in with Esher for two seasons. They then intend to move to a new permanent home of their own.
ALL BLACKS star Beauden Barrett is set for a temporary move to Suntory in Japan.