Loffreda sacked by Tigers

LEICESTER have parted company with head coach Marcelo Loffreda – and raised the possibility of South Africa’s World Cup-winning supremo Jake White replacing him at Welford Road.

Despite leading the Tigers to two finals this season, Loffreda departs just six months into what was thought to be a two-and-a-half year contract.

Leicester directors must now decide whether to pursue another overseas appointment, or keep their coaching structure in-house.

An internal reshuffle is possible, given that former England internationals Richard Cockerill and Neil Back were part of Loffreda’s support staff, while another Leicester and England favourite Austin Healey has repeatedly been linked with a backs coaching job.

Despite taking the club to the Guinness Premiership and EDF Energy Cup finals at Twickenham – Leicester lost both to Wasps and the Ospreys respectively – Loffreda has paid the price for falling short of the Tigers’ immense standards, and speculation has been rife about his future for weeks.

White has not been involved in coaching since his Springboks contract expired following South Africa’s 15-6 World Cup final victory over England in Paris.

He has been linked with several subsequent jobs, including head coach of England and Ireland, and Leicester could prove an attractive proposition.