Rugby: Leinster may sue ERC over Contepomi decision
A five-member committee from Leinster will meet in Dublin today and the committee will be headed by solicitor Brian McLoughlin.
The remainder of the committee comprises Leinster CEO Mick Dawson, Louis Magee, Paddy Boylan and Caleb Powell.
The aim is, of course, to try to have Argentinean out-half Felipe Contepomi reinstated for the crucial opening six matches of the Heineken Cup.
Leinster’s plans for the tournament were thrown into chaos late last week when it was revealed that Contepomi was ineligible to play in the opening rounds of the tournament because of a clerical error.
It is a complicated issue, but ERC are standing their ground and have denied Leinster any right to appeal.
Contepomi, one of Argentina’s stars in the recent World Cup, had been playing with Bristol, and it appears his transfer was not properly dealt with by the Leinster branch.
There could, however, be a possible legal issue and that it what the Leinster committee will seriously discuss today.
Jonny Wilkinson might be the most precious commodity in rugby union at the moment, but Newcastle Falcons chief Rob Andrew is in no hurry to tie down the fly-half.
The World Cup-winner has 18 months left on his current contract but Andrew, Wilkinson’s mentor throughout his professional career, does not intend to pressure the player into signing a new deal in the wake of his Sydney heroics.
“Jonny will either want to stay or he won’t,” said the Falcons director of rugby.
“He’s only ever done one or two-year contracts and I wouldn’t expect anything different. It goes without saying that we’d love him to stay here for the rest of his career. He’ll make the decision for himself and we will support whatever decision he makes.”
Andrew and Wilkinson, who will not return to the Zurich Premiership fray until next week, watched the Falcons drop further off the pace yesterday when they lost 23-20 at home to title hopefuls Wasps.
A sell-out crowd of 10,000 turned up at Kingston Park to watch Wilkinson and England team-mate Lawrence Dallaglio parade the Webb Ellis Trophy.
The health of former All Black great Jonah Lomu, who is battling a kidney disease, has taken a turn for the worse and he is now barely able to walk.
Lomu, who at his peak struck fear in the hearts of those he opposed, has now been forced to cancel a lucrative speaking tour of Britain because of an apparent side effect from his dialysis treatment.
The giant wing, who starred in the last two World Cups in 1995 and 1999 before the illness took hold, attempted to make a comeback this year but managed only half a game for his provincial side Wellington in August.
His manager Kingsley-Jones revealed t the star winger was suffering from foot problems related to his dialysis.
“The dialysis treatment is going well but the veins in his feet are struggling to cope with the blood flow, the former All Black great said.
“That in turn has resulted in nerve problems in his feet and often means he has no feeling there.
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