Tuilagi to join Sale as shake-up begins
ENGLISH rugby is braced for more contract chaos with Manu Tuilagi poised to join Sale and Premiership clubs preparing for a player exodus.
Tuilagi could move from Leicester to Manchester as early as tomorrow, while further England internationals are exploring the option of moving overseas.
Two more of the Tigers leavers — Telusa Veainu and Noel Reid — have already agreed improved terms for a switch to France with Stade Francais and Agen.
With English rugby feeling the financial squeeze of coronavirus, clubs are on a cost-cutting mission to make ends meet and adhere to new salary cap limits.
Leicester are not the only club in dire straits, with Bath close to losing Semesa Rokoduguni, after the winger turned down a cutprice contract to stay in the West Country.
While Bath have agreed 15 per cent pay cuts with the bulk of their squad, Rokoduguni and Lions No 8 Toby Faletau have both been asked to take a larger 25 per cent cut.
The Mail on Sunday understands Faletau was on the brink of accepting the revised terms last night, however Rokoduguni is exploring a move to French club Beziers.
England flanker Zach Mercer also hesitated about signing a cutprice contract, but he is understood to have been persuaded after team-mates turned up at his house at 10pm on the eve of the deadline.
Harlequins are battling to keep hold of young English winger Gabriel Ibitoye, who is wanted by Agen, while players at London Irish, Worcester and Gloucester are also exploring their options.
Clubs have taken a further hit in their support staff, including significant redundancies in the marketing and communication teams at Gloucester and London Irish.
Gloucester, however, are still in the market for a new defence coach and are considering a move for Newcastle Falcons assistant Dom Waldouck.
Clubs have l ost millions of pounds in revenue during the lockdown and owners are desperate for fixtures to resume next month. One Mail on Sunday source, referring to the recent investment in Premiership rugby by private equity firm CVC, claimed: ‘Some clubs have already spent all the CVC money they received.’
Premiership Rugby CEO Darren Childs counter- cl ai med t hat, despite the financial squeeze and growing competition from Japan, England will remain an attractive destination for overseas stars.
‘We’ve had to press reset on the economics of the club game,’ said Childs. ‘It’s not just cuts for players — it’s everyone from coaches to cooks. It’s been hugely difficult. We all know that in good times clubs go bust, so the fact that we moved quickly hopefully means we can protect the league, jobs and playing slots in the long term.
‘Professional elite rugby exists because we have had a number of owners prepared to invest heavily. Re-starting has been the best vote of confidence to believe that there is a trajectory to get back to normal. It may take us a year or two… it may take us a bit longer if there is a second wave.
‘The Premiership is still the best league by a long way. That’s a huge pulling power for top talent from around the world and I think that will continue.
‘There will always be people that want to go off and do something else. It’s been a pretty regular occurrence that players will finish their careers in other countries, but the impact we’re having to deal with is not unique to the UK.
‘I think it will level out and hopefully we’ll continue to be the most attractive league where the best players want to play their rugby.’
Meanwhile, England players are also braced for their £ 25,000 match fees to be cut when Test matches return later this year.