Steve Borthwick gives his agent top Leicester Tigers job

STEVE BORTHWICK has moved to strengthen his backroom staff by appointing his agent Richard Wilks as Leicester Tigers' new head of recruitment with an immediate effect.

The former Sale Sharks flanker started in the management industry when he worked with ex-Tigers chief executive Simon Cohen at Manchester-based law firm James Chapman & Co.

He then started Green Room Sports management alongside former Tiger Ben Lewitt and was managing director of the firm, which counts Ben and Tom Youngs among its clients.

Wilks has handed back his agent's licence and will join his brother Dave who is the Tigers academy manager, but the move has sparked fury among some of the game's leading agents.

Agents The Rugby Paper has spoken to are fearful of there being a potential conflict of interests.

Wilks' arrivals comes after the removal of prior incumbent Jan McGinity, who had been in charge of Tigers' recruitment since the summer of 2019.

McGinity had held similar roles in previous employment with Worcester Warriors and Scottish Rugby.

A Leicester statement confirming McGinity's departure, read: “As part of strategic change led by chief executive Andrea Pinchen, and alongside structural change regarding the role of Director of Rugby, resource is to be invested elsewhere in developing the club's recruitment and retention function, and identifying the best available talent at all levels.”

NEIL FISSLER