Sarries' £750,000 move to sign Jack

Saracens are bidding to capture another global superstar by splashing out £750,000 on All Black lock Chris Jack.

The 28-year-old New Zealander is considering whether to cash in his chips at the end of the World Cup and join the English Premiership with effect from December.

Read more:

• Numbers up for Ashton

• Robinson can sidestep surgery

His proposed transfer from Christchurch to Watford will be seen as a spectacular statement of intent from Saracens. The Watford club confirmed their interest in Jack yesterday.

"He is one of the players we are looking at," Sarries' chief executive Mark Sinderberry said. "It would be great if we could get him but these things don't happen overnight. We'd like to think we will make one or two significant signings.

"We are 20 per cent of the way there - that's as much as I can say."

Negotiations for Jack, a central pillar in the All Black crusade to regain the World Cup they last won 20 years ago, are on-going with every chance of a deal being done within the next month.

The 57-Test lock, a line-out specialist with the pace of a back row forward, has been a virtual automatic choice for the last five years.

Sarries have a long track record of importing superstars from the Southern Hemisphere since the advent of professionalism more than ten years ago.

Their expensive array of foreign signings have included Wallaby fly half Michael Lynagh, France's most-capped player Philippe Sella, Springbok captain Francois Pienaar, Australian double World Cup winner Tim Horan, ex-All Black skipper Taine Randell, France lock Abdel Benazzi and his compatriot, Thomas Castaignede.

Despite the nearest of misses nine seasons ago, when they finished runners-up to Newcastle, Sarries have still to turn owner Nigel Wray's multi-million investment into a Premiership-winning team although they are heading towards the end-of-season play-offs for the first time.

Jack's deal is likely to be similar to the one which his fellow Canterbury Crusader and current All Black, Aaron Mauger, has signed with Leicester.

The 26-year-old centre will join the Tigers after the World Cup for two-and-a-half years at £300,000-a-year.

In the fight to keep their players, the New Zealand RFU has steadfastly refused to pick any All Black employed overseas.

Mauger will stay in England until May 2010 and return home in the hope of renewing his Test career for the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.

Having given Mauger his blessing to what is in effect a 30-month sabbatical to make a small fortune in England, Graham Henry will presumably do the same for Jack once his move is confirmed.

"Aaron is a world-class player whose decision-making has been integral to the All Blacks' success," New Zealand's head coach said. "We look forward to his return from Leicester to make a further contribution to New Zealand rugby in 2010."

Sale, their season in danger of being completely ruined by a chronic number of long-term casualties, became the second Premiership club in 24 hours to hire a French international on a short-term contract.

Just as the Saints signed Christian Labit from Narbonne, so the ailing English champions have borrowed Julien Laharrague from Perpignan until the end of the season.

The full back-cum-wing, who has played 11 times for France, will make his Sale debut against Worcester at Edgeley Park on Friday week and appear in the Anglo-Welsh Cup semi-final against Leicester in Cardiff on March 24.

After eight years and almost 200 matches at Saracens, Ben Johnston will be playing for Northampton next season.

The 28-year-old centre, capped twice by England, has signed a three-year contract.

Welsh referee Nigel Whitehouse, a veteran of 19 Tests who ran touch at Croke Park last Saturday, is to retire with immediate effect and concentrate on his full-time job as a police inspector.

"I have nothing but happy memories to take away from my time as a referee," he said.

"The friendships I have made will last me forever."

Wales coach Gareth Jenkins, heading to Italy next week in the hope of avoiding the Six Nations' wooden spoon, has been given an unqualified vote of confidence from his employers after a run of three straight defeats.

"I have confidence in the management and players that they have the ability to turn this around," Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Roger Lewis said.

"There is no questions about that. I know the work and preparation going on behind the scenes. I have total respect for this squad of Welsh players."

FOUR PLAYERS WHO HIT THE JACKPOT

VA'AIGA TUIGAMALA: Wigan RL to Newcastle, November 1996; five-year deal worth £1.5m.

JASON ROBINSON: Wigan RL to Sale, October 2000; five-year, £900,000 deal funded by Sale and RFU.

IESTYN HARRIS: Leeds RL to Cardiff, October 2001. Played for three years; £800,000 deal partly funded by WRU.

CARLOS SPENCER: Kiwi fly half joined Northampton in September 2005; three-year deal worth £720,000.