WRW EXTRA: ANOTHER TWIST OF THE TURNSTILE

More blood on the carpet

This bonus edition comes your way after the departure of Jan McGinity, Head of Leicester’s Elite Performance Recruitment. As much as Geordan Murphy's departure creates waves, this feels like the most significant change in personnel this Autumn because of what it signals.

Jan McGinity in happier times at Oval Park

Leicester were careful to portray McGinity’s leaving as “part of strategic change led by chief executive Andrea Pinchen” but the influence of Steve Borthwick is being felt further and further as Head Coach across the rugby department.

Having been an agent for a number of Tigers players in the past, McGinity’s appointment to the staff during the summer of 2019 saw him fulfil a role which dealt with “player contracts, salary cap management and managing relationships with key stakeholders within the game, with a focus on the player recruitment industry”.

He would be supported by Ged Glynn, who led the way on scouting. Both have now left the club, with Glynn exiting his role earlier this year.

It is believed that McGinity - who was effective in the media and was involved in the capture of Tomas Lavanini, in particular - sought an expanded role after Murphy’s departure, but rumours of friction with the former Director of Rugby are widely overblown. McGinity is not untalented at what he does.

We wondered during WRW #1 why the club were seeking advice on their recruitment strategy earlier this year. Maybe we know our answer now, but there is no question the club are revamping every inch under Borthwick’s domain as yet more of the Howard Report is cast to the shredder. I understand the cost of that report was around the six figures mark.

SO WHO’S NEXT?

Leicester are promising to commit resource into the recruitment function which appears to point towarding hiring a rugby operations manager, which would look after recruitment among other responsibilities.

I’d understood that there would now be a review of how recruitment takes place - hence the question on the podcast. But the club are insistent, pointing to the original statement, that change has already made.

He wasn’t named in the Tigers’ announcement but several sources suggest leading agent Richard Wilks will be the man to fill the role. If that name rings a bell, he is the brother of Academy Manager Dave Wilks.

Since playing for Sale, he was the major figure behind Green Room Sports Management, who currently represent Tom and Ben Youngs and until recently, the Fords. They also include a certain S Borthwick on their books.

Changing your recruitment model in December does not spring to mind as the ideal month.

But Wilks will know the territory and the players he represented and presumably, what Borthwick wants in terms of players. A penny for the thoughts of Glynn, Dusty Hare, Simon Cohen and Murphy - all of whom have been removed from post over the last year and who all dealt with agents in some way, shape or form.

Make no mistake. Borthwick's writ over Welford Road is running ever larger.

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A short update today then. WRW returns as normal next week.

Hope you’re able to enjoy proceedings this weekend and above all, PLEASE don’t forget to share WRW as we spread the gospel a little further each week.