Leicester 'nearly defected'

Peter Wheeler, the chief executive of Leicester Tigers, yesterday admitted that his club considered the possibility of defecting to rugby league and added that only a deal with the Rugby Football Union stopped Leicester joining the Super League.

"We have looked at Super League in the past... and in different circumstances if we had not managed to come to an agreement with the Rugby Union we may have taken that up," he said.

Wheeler believes the future currently looks brighter for union following last week's announcement of an eight-year strategic plan for the game. "We have been living hand to mouth, trying to exist, but we are now in a much better position," he said.