Leicester Tigers boss Richard Cockerill rules out big-name signings
Leicester Tigers are "not in the market" for England's rising stars, says director of rugby Richard Cockerill.
Tigers are still looking to strengthen areas of their squad for next season, including at fly-half and prop, and the back row.
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Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill
But Cockerill says they are unlikely to be looking at home-grown talent for fear of them losing further players to the international window.
England's 23-man squad to face Ireland in Dublin on Sunday is expected to include seven Tigers players.
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Cockerill believes that hurts the club and he is not prepared to increase the risk of more getting called up next season by recruiting English talent on the national team's radar.
Some of the country's brightest prospects have moved on in recent weeks.
Leicester, however, had little interest in signing, among others, Alex Corbisiero (London Irish to Northampton), Matt Kvesic (Worcester to Gloucester) and Matt Mullan (Worcester to Wasps).
"We were not really in the market for the likes of them," said Cockerill.
"We already have eight players away this week on international duty and that is already too many. We don't want to risk that number becoming nine or 10, or 11 or 12.
"We will not be in the market for marquee players because the players we have re-signed are expensive enough in the salary cap.
"We have to make sure our squad is strong enough to not only compete, but to keep winning when the internationals are away – and that is a third of the season.
"There are areas we are looking at and we will try to find someone to fill Martin Castrogiovanni's spot if he leaves.
"We will not be able to find like-for-like because that's impossible. Castro is unique player-wise and personality-wise.
"But we will do our best within the constraints of the salary cap, and the guys we have already got in his position, like Dan Cole, Logovi'i Mulipola and Fraser Balmain, are very good. We simply have not got the money to buy marquee players."
One prop who looks like he could leave Tigers at the end of the season is Kieran Brookes.
The 22-year-old joined in 2011 but injuries have hampered his chances and he has made just three starts in 16 months.
"Kieran is out of contract at the end of the season," said Cockerill. "He has not developed as much as we would have liked."
2 Comments
by Snaggy
Friday, February 08 2013, 6:19PM
“I agree with NuneatonTiger. The Tigers are not the force they once were. We still play the style of rugby which might have been successful in the early 2000s but rugby has moved on since then. Anyone who watched the final against Harlequins last season could easily see the huge difference in the playing styles of the two teams. Are we playing any differently this season? No. It's the same up - the - jumper grinding style which occasionally produces a decent victory and we all get excited briefly but then things return to normal. Do we need a new coach as well as new players? The answer must be yes. Hopefully Richard Cockrell will receive a resounding vote of confidence from the chairman soon which will probably signal his impending departure. Is Clive Woodward still a director? Does he have any input? If not, what use is he apart from being a big name on the board.”
by NuneatonTiger
Friday, February 08 2013, 4:11PM
“How defeatist, we should be in the market for the best players.”