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Monday, 8 July, 2002, 16:35 GMT 17:35 UK
Tigers strengthen their pack
Tierney will give Leicester options at scrum-half
European champions Leicester Tigers unveiled three new signings and a £1million sponsorship deal on Monday.
The Zurich Premiership champions have added two experienced internationals and a virtually unknown Welsh hooker to an already highly impressive squad. Coach Dean Richards has tempted highly-rated French prop Franck Tournaire, Irish scrum-half Tom Tierney and 22-year-old Rhys Williams to Welford Road. Tournaire, capped 49 times by Les Bleus, was part of the France squad which reached the final of the 1999 World Cup.
But the 29-year-old tight head has since struggled to hold down a place in the national squad under new coach Bernard Laporte.
Tierney, who has eight caps, has also been out of favour with since Ireland's 50-18 hammering against England two years ago. Williams, on the other hand, has been signed on his perceived potential rather than any proven pedigree. The former Wales under-19 international played for Blackwood in the Welsh First Division two years ago. He has since been globe-trotting, playing for Australian side Northern Suburbs and for Kowloon in Hong Kong. Richards said: "It's a great day for Leicester. We've been working hard on getting these players.
"I do believe that the squad we've got here is increasing in quality and strength.
"Rhys is a good player, Tom is an international player and Franck is a world-class player. "I have a huge amount of admiration for all three of them and they are the type of players this club is looking for." The Tigers have agreed a three-year contract worth more than £1m with landscaping company Bradstone. The deal is the biggest in British club rugby and replaces the old agreement with Vauxhall, who have been Leicester's official sponsors since 1999. Company director Alan Smith said: "The association with Leicester Tigers puts us together with one of the leading sporting clubs in the UK and Europe."
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See also:
08 Jul 02 | International
03 Jul 02 | Celtic
08 Jul 02 | International
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