London Irish would "love" to recruit a "frontline Irish international", according to director of rugby and former Ireland international Brian Smith.
The Exiles are under new ownership and have today added South Africa prop CJ van der Linde to their squad, having also recruited Ireland frontrower Tom Court this week. The Ulster prop will join next season.
The owners insist they are not about to get into a spending war with the cash-rich French clubs of the Top 14 but the consortium of London-based Irish businessmen now in control will look to home for more talent.
“We would love to get our hands on a frontline Irish international, but clearly we want to work with the unions,” Smith said. “We are not trying to drag the Irish captain (Paul O’Connell) out of a central contract, but if it fits for someone who has missed the boat or who wants a life change, then we can attract that type of player.”
O'Connell's Munster and Ireland team-mate Donnacha Ryan is reportedly a target. He and O'Connell will be out of contract at the end of the season, as will Ireland vice-captain Jamie Heaslip, Leinster flanker Seán O'Brien, centre Gordon D'Arcy, Ulster hooker Rory Best and Munster back Keith Earls.
The Exiles have the ambition of becoming one of the “best clubs in the world”, according to president Mick Crossan, and want their squad to comprise of one third academy graduates, one third Irishmen or players of Irish descent and one third of world-class signings.
The owners insist, however, they will not be held to ransom and are prepared to play hardball over the contract of Marland Yarde, the 21-year-old England wing beginning to make his name in international rugby, to make that point.
“Marland is a home-grown player and as someone who we brought through the ranks we are very keen to keep him,” interim executive chairman David Fitzgerald said today. “But there is a market out there and there’s a point at which you say you’re better off investing elsewhere. I don’t want people to run away with the idea that we have brought in a whole load of money and we are basically going to be the next Toulon.
“The reality is that the French market is in a different league to everybody else. It doesn’t make economic sense to start competing with those guys. The idea is not to treat rugby as a toy that you can invest in for fun. It’s a fool’s errand if you try to compete with the French.”
Nevertheless, the Exiles are thought to currently operate one-third below the Aviva Premiership salary cap of £4.26 million (€5 million). It is believed they now plan to make full use of the limit.
