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Moving forward

7/ 5/2008

LEICESTER’S Luke Abraham has agreed a two-year deal with Sharks.

Sharks completed the signing of 24-year-old back-row Abraham, who is leaving Tigers after almost 10 years in the youth and senior set-ups, yesterday [Tues].

Meanwhile, Magnus Lund is poised to sign for top French club Biarritz this week.

The 24-year-old Sharks’ flanker feels in need of a change, after more than five years playing professional rugby for Sale.

Lund, whose fledgling England career inexplicably fizzled out before the 2007 World Cup, had even considered taking time out from rugby altogether.

Lund said: "There’s probably a time when everyone questions whether they are going to play, but when I think about it rugby’s what I’ve always done and rugby’s what I want to do.

"I was thinking about taking a bit of time out, for my body as much as anything else. Hopefully a change will be as good as a rest."

Biarritz will certainly provide a totally different living environment for Lund, with a beach and surf lifestyle and a new language to tackle.

Far from putting Lund off, new experiences are part of the allure.

"I’ve been here in Manchester for quite a while," said Lund, who grew up in Kendal. "I don’t know whether it is a bit of a comfort zone, but I’ve really enjoyed it here.

"I’m looking forward to a new challenge and part of that will be going over to a different country.

"Experiencing that will hopefully help me develop as a person and a player."

Development is one of the key aims of Lund, who is hoping that despite the move he will still get another chance to pull on an England shirt.

"That was one of the deciding factors about Biarritz," he added. "It is a big team, one of the biggest in Europe I think, and if I’m playing well for them in the Heineken Cup and in [the league in] France hopefully that will keep me in the [England] frame."

Also leaving at the end of the season is Sharks centre Elvis Seveali’i.

The Samoan international played for Sharks for almost three years and was a member of Sale’s Guinness Premiership winning squad.

ENGLAND’S Mathew Tait is to join Sharks, from Newcastle Falcons, on a three-year contract. Director of rugby Philippe Saint-Andre said: "This is fantastic news for the club. Mathew is a naturally gifted rugby player who can play at full back, wing and outside centre. Although he is only 22-years-old, he has already won 23 caps for England and has still tremendous potential to develop further as a player."