Leicester Tigers hit with double blow in search for new top dog

Leicester Tigers are understood to have suffered a double blow in their search to replace former Australia and Argentina boss Michael Cheika when he steps down at the end of the season.

The Tigers had included Glasgow Warriors boss Franco Smith on their list of possible replacements for Cheika, but he is under contract with the United Rugby Championship outfit until the end of the 2025-2026 season.

The Welford Road outfit have baulked at paying the Warriors the £500,000 they would need to buy out the final year of the South African’s deal, so he is likely to stay North of the Border.

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Cheika who replaced another Australian Dan McKellar at the Tigers’ helm and had the option of a second season in the East Midlands but he has decided that he wants to return home where his family are still based.

It then emerged that the Tigers were keen on appointed club legend Graham Rowntree, who has been without a job since leaving Munster in October, and England assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth.

We were told that the plan being worked on is that he would become the Tigers’ new Director of Rugby and that Richard Wigglesworth would return to the club as their new head coach.

However, sources have told us that plan has run into problems because Wigglesworth appears keen on staying with England after following Steve Borthwick and his sidekick Kevin Sinfield to Twickenham.

Former England defence coach Felix Jones, who left his job in December, is also in the running, but according to newspaper reports, he would rather stay in the international game.

Stuart Lancaster’s name has also been linked with the job as well as Munster after leaving his job with Top 14 strugglers Racing 92 but their have been reports that he could take up a project in the Southern Hemisphere.