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Interest in Tuqiri excites Souths
By Brent Read and Wayne Smith
March 03, 2007
SOUTH Sydney continues to make the running for Lote Tuqiri, with Rabbitohs co-owner Peter Holmes a Court revealing he has been contacted by a third prospective private sponsor willing to help fund a bid for the dual international.
News of the expanding interest in Tuqiri came as Australian Rugby Union officials foreshadowed increasing the length of their offer to the wing so as to avoid another highly public auction in the lead-up to the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Holmes a Court said he received an email yesterday from a company inquiring about endorsing Tuqiri, taking the tally of interested parties to three and ensuring the Rabbitohs remain firm favourite to secure Tuqiri should he return to rugby league.
Souths have already had two companies contact the club regarding Tuqiri, who is off contract with the ARU after the Rugby World Cup in France in September, and who has expressed interest in returning to the NRL, where he made his name with Brisbane.
Holmes a Court has referred all parties to Tuqiri's business manager, Les Ross, who is conducting negotiations on the player's behalf.
Souths are putting together a long-term deal for Tuqiri, which it hopes will convince him to join the Rabbitohs rather than link with the Cronulla-based Sharks or re-sign with the ARU.
Holmes a Court also defended his club's role in linking Tuqiri with sponsors following comments from NRL chief executive David Gallop, who said he would scrutinise Souths' actions.
"We got calls from people who want to sponsor Lote," Holmes a Court said.
"I have had three calls now - two yesterday and one today.
"Let's make this perfectly clear. A number of people called us to try to get to Lote. It's a very easy thing for me to do to say, 'hey, talk to Lote's manager'.
"If sponsors are more excited because Lote might come back to rugby league in its 100th year, that's a bonus for Lote and a bonus for the game."
Reports have suggested that Tuqiri could be offered a five-year deal by Souths, which hopes to use outside sponsorship to make the deal more lucrative than that the ARU is expected to table in a revised bid.
It is understood that Tuqiri would take sponsors with him to league, but NRL clubs would still need to source third parties to match the offer from the ARU.
Tuqiri rejected a three-year, $2.4 million offer from the ARU before Christmas.
But the ARU is expected to make a longer-term deal that could secure the New South Wales wing until the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
The ARU has no qualms offering Tuqiri an extended term given his injury-free history; he has enjoyed a saloon passage in terms of injuries in both codes.
"He is an elite athlete and his injury record is virtually blemish-free," ARU negotiator Pat Wilson said.
"So he's a sound investment leading to the next World Cup cycle."
While the ARU has carte blanche when it comes to deciding on the value of contracts offers, rugby league clubs are bound by NRL rules.
Gallop has stressed that those rules will not be bent for any player.
Holmes a Court was indignant at suggestions that his club could attempt to breach cap rules.
"I heard (Gallop) say there wouldn't be any special regulations for the Rabbitohs," Holmes a Court said.
"I understand that. I will always argue for special dispensation for the Rabbitohs, but I won't necessarily expect it."