Veainu off to France after quitting Tigers
TONGA WINGER AMONG STARS TO LEAVE IN CONTRACTS ROW
TELUSA Veainu has signed a three-year deal with French club Stade Francais after his dramatic exit from Leicester Tigers.
The Tonga international was among five big names to quit Welford Road last week after refusing to accept a new contract on reduced terms.
Veainu joined Leicester Tigers after the 2015 Rugby World Cup and made just shy of 90 appearances in the green, red and white over nearly five seasons.
Capable of playing on the wing or at full-back, Veainu scored 32 tries for Tigers and, following the 2017/18 season, was voted the RPA Player of the Year.
Leicester Tigers director of rugby Geordan Murphy said: “We thank Telusa for all that he has given to Leicester Tigers during his time with us.
“The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has not been lost on anyone and, while we hoped to see Telusa play out the remaining one-and-a-half seasons of his contract with us at Tigers, we appreciate the varying individual circumstances of all our players and wish him, his partner and child well in their next chapter in Paris.”
Most of the media attention has been on the destination of former Tigers team-mate Manu Tuilagi, with both Sale Sharks and Bristol Bears linked with the England centre.
However, Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond told RugbyPass website: “We have had no discussions about Manu Tuilagi.
“People see what we are doing and our ability to get everything sorted unlike other clubs.
“I think we are being dragged into it and I know Manu’s agent well and I trust him not to have brought us into it and I don’t know if it is the current club throwing it around to try and force the arm of the individual.
“I am very direct and, generally, I will say if we are or not.
“If players do become available of a high calibre, as long as we are not contravening any regulations, then we will look at other players.
“Financially we would be able to do that.
“However, we are going through a very intense schedule to get these Premiership games played and we are going to be playing Saturday, Wednesday, Sunday by the looks of it, three or four times.
“Nobody knows where we are with the global season and I am just trying to future proof things.”
Meanwhile, Leicester Tigers have agreed new deals with loosehead prop Facundo Gigena, prop Nephi Leatigaga, loose forward Hanro Liebenberg and lock Harry Wells.
Gigena, who joined Tigers midway through the 2017/18 season, represented Argentina at Under-20s level in 2013 and 2014 before going on to make his senior international debut for Los Pumas in 2016.
He played for the Jaguares in Super Rugby before moving to the East Midlands.
Since making his senior debut for the club in January 2018, Gigena has represented Tigers on 39 occasions.
Murphy said: “Facundo has grown as a player with every opportunity he has got since joining us two years ago.
“He arrived here as an unknown and, through his hard work and no-nonsense style, has become a favourite among supporters in the stands at Welford Road and his team-mates.”
Samoa international Leatigaga joined Tigers last summer and has made 19 appearances in his debut season.
Leatigaga played in New Zealand for Mount Wellington in Auckland before being selected for Samoa ‘A’ in 2015. He made his Test debut against Canada the following year.
Murphy said: “Nephi has had an impressive start to his Tigers career and improved with each performance during the current campaign.
“Nephi’s size and versatility are both valuable traits in the game and we’re proud to have him here, as part of the club.”
Liebenberg joined Tigers ahead of the 2019/20 season and has also become a fanfavourite at Welford Road for his no-nonsense style of play and tough approach to the game.
The 24-year-old arrived from the Bulls in Super Rugby, where he made more than 40 appearances during four seasons, and spent time on loan at Stade Francais in the 2018/19 season.
Liebenberg captained South Africa Under-20s in 2015 at the Junior World Cup.
Second-rower Wells, 27, has made 92 senior appearances for the club since his debut in 2013 as a teenager.
The Tigers academy graduate played his 50th Premiership match for the club earlier this season and is currently equal with George Worth for most games (21) during the 2019/20 campaign.
Murphy said: “Wellsy bleeds red, white and green. Every time he pulls on a Tigers shirt, he leaves nothing on the pitch and he is committed to seeing the club get back to where it belongs.”