Tigers after Hodgson?

[Bud]

From the Merc:

"Tigers have refused to comment on reports that they want Sale's England fly half Charlie Hodgson if his contract talks break down. It is thought Sale are prepared to fork our ?300,000 a season, more than Newcastle pay Johnny Wilkinson. Hodgson wants to stay but is refusing to rule out leaving the Guiness Premiership Champions. Simon Cohen, Tigers' head of rugby operations, used to be Hodgson's agent, He said: "I think any approach to Hodgson by Leicester would be an illegal one. It would be totally inappropriate for us to comment"


Is this another player looking for a wage increase by using us as bait? We've been interested in him in the past. Would be a very exciting signing, but I don't see it happening.

Also. how are Sale managing to afford paying him that much considering all of the players they have AND the wage cap?

[SimW]

Can't see it myself. Why would he leave Sale except for more money which we couldn't give him. If he does leave, it would be to some-one like Leeds on the same basis that Abbott joined Quins.

[Iain]

Absolutely nothing in that article did anything to suggest to me that there is any mileage whatsoever in that as a story. Mercury fishing for a story, I can see the situation now:

Merc reporter: "Do you think Hodgson is any good"
Cohen: "er.... yeah suppose so...?"
Merc reporter: "Well he's negotiating a new contract at the moment"
Cohen: "Going well?"
Merc reporter: "Well yeah....but lets suppose he wanted to leave..."
Cohen: "But he's under contract still right?"
Merc reporter: "Well yeah but would you make an approach?"
Cohen: "well no.... it would be illegal"
Merc reporter: "but you rate him right?"
Cohen: "Well yeah but...."
Merc reporter: "BINGO! We've got a story!"

Slow news day anyone?

[Bud]

Same could be said for Mauger though.

[mike]

may be pure speculation but Hodgson would be a dream signing . We are desperate for a top class fly half and with the pack that we are going to have in the near future I would at last be confident in our ambition to win things . Without a top class fly half we will never win anything .

[Lea]

I think you really ought to be asking Toulose and Biarritz if they are looking for a new fly half...I also understand that Perpignon are also in the market.

Dont assume its Tigers dont forget the salary cap does not exist in france and they would be able to offer £300,000 a year +.