Aviva Premiership
Leeds accuse Exiles of tapping up Fourie
ESPNscrum Staff
May 13, 2011
Leeds flanker Hendre Fourie, Bath v Leeds, Aviva Premiership, Recreation Ground, Leeds, England, January 8, 2011
Hendre Fourie has been implicated in an alleged illegal approach © Getty Images
Enlarge

Leeds Carnegie have lodged an official complaint with Premiership Rugby over an alleged illegal approach for England flanker Hendre Fourie.

The Yorkshire club, who are facing relegation from the Aviva Premiership, have accused the player's agent, James Adams, and London Irish of brokering a 'lucrative' deal for the 31-year-old openside despite the fact that his contract at Headingley does not expire until June 2012.

"We allege unprofessional conduct in that James Adams contacted London Irish and negotiated a lucrative contract for Fourie in the weeks leading up to the end of the league season in full knowledge that the player was under contract," Leeds chief Gary Hetherington said.

"Also that London Irish negotiated a lucrative contract with the players' agent and, thereby, unsettling him and inducing him to break his contract with Leeds Carnegie."

Leeds finished bottom of the Premiership after losing out to Northampton on the final day of the season, with speculation rife that their star player, Fourie, would be seeking pastures new in order to continue his fledgling England career.

With Worcester holding the advantage in the two-legged Championship play-off against Cornish Pirates, Leeds' relegation is set to be sealed on Wednesday when the return game is staged at Sixways. A big Pirates win would save them however, as the Cornish side to not meet the Premiership's stringent entry criteria.

Born in Burgersdorp, South Africa, Fourie moved to England in 2005, representing Rotherham before a switch to Leeds two years later. He qualified for England on residency grounds in 2009 and was handed a Test debut in November 2010.

"I definitely want to still play international rugby," he told The Daily Telegraph. "If my form is good enough, then of course you want to be playing at Test level. If you don't have that ambition, then you're not being true to yourself. I'd be lying if I said it differently."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.