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Benji set to abandon Japan plan
By GLENN JACKSON - SMH
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/...don-Japan-plan
The day after the NRL season launch brings fresh hopes for Wests Tigers: Benji Marshall's attempts to play rugby union in Japan seem dead in the water.
Marshall's manager, Martin Tauber, will meet Tigers officials today, but strongly suggested yesterday his client's plan - to effectively let his current contract expire and travel to Japan to play there in the NRL off-season before returning to sign a new deal - was over.
"If nothing's forthcoming by the end of the week [from Japanese officials], it's finished; done and dusted," Tauber said. "At this stage, there's nothing happening."
The development will give the Tigers an enormous boost as they continue their negotiations with Marshall's management, knowing their chances of securing the Kiwi World Cup-winner's signature for 2010 and beyond are significantly improved. The club may be able to tie their star halfback to a new deal by the start of the new season on Friday week.
Asked about the issue of "guest stints" - whereby players could play rugby during the league off-season while still contracted to their NRL club - Tigers boss Scott Longmuir said: "I think it's a moving, changing world, and we've got to look at a variety of scenarios. We need to look at the bigger picture."
Tauber said yesterday any new deal with the Tigers might not happen until after the NRL season kicks off. He also denied he had raised the prospect of a guest stint in Japan to raise Marshall's asking price in Australia.
"I did not do this to inflate his asking price and I object to that suggestion," he said
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