Super Rugby’s high profile recruit Benji Marshall could be off to the English Super League after struggling to get game time at the Blues this season.
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Marshall, who left the Wests Tigers last year after 11 seasons with the NRL club, is a recruitment target of English club Salford and its billionaire owner Marwan Koukash according to a News Corp report.
Koukash says a deal worth up to $3 million could be done this week after he speaks with club coach Iestyn Harris.
“We always looking at players of Benji’s quality,” Koukash told News Corp.
“Who wouldn’t be interested in him.
“I’ll be talking to our coach [Harris] about all the recruitment over the next couple of days. Benji will be one of a few players we’ll talk about.’’
Under English Super League rules, any deal done with Marshall is not counted under the salary cap as he will be classified a rugby union recruit.
This leaves the door open for a $1 million-a-season deal which is twice as much as Marshall is earning at the Blues.
Marshall has started just one game in the first eight rounds of Super Rugby with Blues coach John Kirwan preferring rookie Simon Hickey, who was promoted from outside the core squad of 33 players, in the five-eighth role and emerging star Charles Piutau at fullback.
smh.com.au
