Regional row could see Davies lined up to replace Tuilagi at Leicester - reports
Jonathan Davies is reportedly being targeted by Leicester as Manu Tuilagi’s replacement should the England international to take up a life-changing offer at Racing 92.
The future of Welsh regional rugby has been plunged into turmoil this past week amid the on-off row over a potential Scarlets-Ospreys merger, and Davies could be the first big name casualty as he has been sounded out about his availability for a switch to the Premiership away from Parc Y Scarlets.
Tuilagi, who starred in England’s Six Nations dismissal of Italy on Saturday, is mulling over a money spinning contract in Paris following a visit last month to Racing.
It’s expected he will announce his decision following the end of the championship and if he does decide to head across the channel, Geordan Murphy will try to tempt Davies across the Severn Bridge.
According to a report in Sunday’s The Rugby Paper, Davies has already been “sounded out by Leicester about his future plans”.
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The 30-year-old Wales centre was born in Solihull not far from Leicester and he is already used to playing his rugby outside Wales having had a stint at Clermont before hooking up with the under threat Scarlets in 2015.
Wales players in recent years have bene hesitate to leave the local regional set-up as they needed to have 60 Test caps in order to continue to be selected for the national side if based outside the country.
That rule wouldn’t hinder Davies’ international ambitions as his appearance at Murrayfield at Saturday as Wales took another step towards a 2019 Grand Slam was his 72nd cap.
Meanwhile, Joe Marler believes Tuilagi’s possible move to France won’t end his England career. The RFU have an “exceptional circumstances” clause whereby an overseas based player can still be picked for the national team.
This was the regulation they used to get Jonny Wilkinson back into the fold when he club career reignited at Toulon and Joe Marler, who quit the Test scene, believes Tuilagi is too good a player not to be picked by England.
“I would be surprise if Manu wasn’t one of those players they [the RFU] would consider using that particular clause for,” said Marler, also in the weekend edition of The Rugby Paper.
“They tried it doing it with Jonny Wilkinson a few years ago when he was in the form of his life at Toulon. It didn’t quite happen, but Manu is such a big player for the team it would make sense.”
Marler added it is his expectation that Tuilagi will decide to go to France rather than remain at Leicester as the three-year, £2.6million offer is too lucrative to turn down.
“You can’t afford to turn down £2.6m. You can’t ignore that kind of money in this game. Footballers deal with lumps of money like that a lot more than we do in rugby. It’s life-changing.
“If will be interesting to see if he does go considering he has had a bad run of injuries and Leicester have stuck by him thick and thin. But it is a short career and you have to make the most of it.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Not sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
24 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
1 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
24 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
24 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to comments