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Leicester Tigers' head of operations Simon Cohen says that it is unlikely that Australian Winger Lote Tuqiri will remain with the club due to the salary cap.
The former Wallaby and Waratahs winger arrived at Welford Road in November after he signed a six month deal with the club.
Tuqiri made his debut for Leicester Tigers in their match against South Africa and should make his seventh Tigers appearance in Saturday's crucial Heineken Cup match with Clermont at Welford Road.
Leicester Tigers found the money to pay Tuqiri from an injury dispensation allowance after skipper Geordan Murphy was ruled out for four months following shoulder surgery.
When a player is injured and cannot play for a period of three months or more the club can - if they have the money - sign a replacement even if it means going over the the £4m salary cap.
Cohen says that as Murphy is expected to return for the Tigers before the end of the season they will find it hard to hold on to Tuqiri given the cost of the 67 Test former Wallaby.
"We would like to keep Lote because he is a world- class player." said Cohen.
"If that dispensation is not available for next year, it is going to be very difficult to find the money to keep him." he explained to the Leicester Mercury.
The Tigers will need to be careful financially as Murphy and New Zealander Scott Hamilton are both coming off contract at the end of the season and neither have re-signed so they may be forced into the market if they do not stay with the Tigers.
"Both Geordan and Scott are out of contract and neither have re-signed yet.
"We have got to cover our backs by looking to strengthen those areas in case they don't stay."
http://www.rugbyweek.com/news/article.asp?id=23577
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Originally Posted by laura
