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Reports: Moroni set to replace Manu Tuilagi at Tigers
By Online Editors
Leicester want to swap a Jaguar for a Tiger in a bid to fill the midfield void left by Manu Tuilagi. According to America Rugby News, ESPN Scrum and The Rugby Paper, Matías Moroni is being lined up to replace the blockbusting centre.
Tuilagi signed for Sale Sharks last week after failing to agree a new contract at Welford Road. It was a sea-change signing in the Premiership, bringing to an end a two-decade long association between the Tigers and the Tuilagi family.
Yet, two weeks after Tuilagi failed to agree terms and it seems the Tigers have found their replacement in Moroni. The 29-year-old outside centre specialist went to the Rugby World Cup and has won 43 caps for the Pumas.
Moroni is the latest in an increasingly long line of Jaguares players departing the Super Rugby club, whose future appears to be very much up in the air. Guido Petti, Marcos Kremer and Jeronimo De La Fuente have all picked up contracts in France.
Moroni would be the latest Argentinian to make a home in the Midlands, where Tomas Lavanini currently players and where loosehead Macros Ayerza became a fan favourite.
Should Tigers sign Moroni, it would put to bed rumours linking Welsh international Jamie Roberts to the club. The Lions midfielder held talks with the ambitious Dragons, opening the way for a new centre partnership with Nick Tomkins, who is on-loan at the Welsh region from Saracens.
Tomkins, who made his Wales debut earlier this year under new boss Wayne Pivac, was being lined up to join Australian Joe Tomane in midfield but the deal to bring the released Leinster back to Newport has now stalled.
That has resulted in Roberts, whose most recent rugby was earlier this year in the colours of the Stormers in South Africa, negotiating with the Dragons about a return to regional rugby in Wales.
Yet reports in France suggested Roberts being sounded out for a role Tigers, which might have thrown a spanner in the works of the Dragons deal. Should the Moroni deal go ahead, it would almost certainly put a kibosh on that speculation.
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Latest Comments
No he's just limited in what he can do. Like Scott Robertson. And Eddie Jones.
Sometimes it doesn't work out so you have to go looking for another national coach who supports his country and believes in what he is doing. Like NZ replacing Ian Foster. And South Africa bringing Erasmus back in to over see Neinbar.
This is the real world. Not the fantasy oh you don't need passion for your country for international rugby. Ask a kiwi, or a south african or a frenchman.
Go to commentsDont complain too much or start jumping to conclusions.
Here in NZ commentators have been blabbing that our bottom pathway competition the NPC (provincial teams only like Taranaki, Wellington etc)is not fit for purpose ie supplying players to Super rugby level then they started blabbing that our Super Rugby comp (combined provincial unions making up, Crusaders, Hurricanes, etc) wasn't good enough without the South African teams and for the style SA and the northern powers play at test level.
Here is what I reckon, Our comps are good enough for how WE want to play rugby not how Ireland, SA, England etc play. Our comps are high tempo, more rucks, mauls, running plays, kicks in play, returns, in a game than most YES alot of repetition but that builds attacking skillsets and mindsets. I don't want to see world teams all play the same they all have their own identity and style as do England (we were scared with all this kind of talk when they came here) World powerhouse for a reason, losses this year have been by the tiniest of margins and could have gone either way in alot of games. Built around forward power and blitz defence they have got a great attack Wingers are chosen for their Xfactor now not can they chase up and unders all day. Stick to your guns its not far off
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