Clubs queue up for Miller

Leicester formally circularised all the Premiership clubs in England yesterday to notify them that their Lions and Irish number eight Eric Miller has been placed on the transfer list. Though the fee is undisclosed, it is believed to be prohibitive and seems certain to set a new English club landmark in the professional era.

That's if Miller stays in England. According to the player's agent, John Baker, European Cup runners-up Brive yesterday inquired about the player and now head a posse of covetous pursuers.

These also include Northampton, where Ian McGeechan is a known admirer from their Lions days together, London Irish and newly promoted West Hartlepool. At London Irish, Isaac Feun'ati's cruciate knee ligament will sideline the Samoan number eight until December.

Harlequins and at least one other English club are also believed to be in the background. If Brive were willing to meet Leicester's valuation of the player, then the Tigers might prefer the idea of Miller not joining a rival English club. However, Brive currently have the French `A' number eight Eric Gouloumet in their ranks - indeed he was man of the match in their opening French championship win over Grenoble last weekend - as well as a summer signing from Toulouse, Regis Sonnes. The chairman of the French club, JeanJacques Madrias, yesterday dismissed Brive's supposed interest.

Monitoring the situation are the IRFU, who would be keen to lure the player home. Miller's club career has stalled at Leicester since Dean Richards became coach, in parallel with an international career in which he won the last of his seven caps as a replacement in the defeat to Wales before making himself unavailable for the Irish tour of South Africa last May.

His agent yesterday confirmed that "four English clubs, plus a French club" had contacted him with a view to acquiring the player, but Baker played down the notion of Miller returning to Ireland. "In the current situation it's very unlikely although I wouldn't say it's impossible. It may very well be that things work out that way."

Should it come to pass that Miller does indeed return home, then Ulster (who, significantly or not, still have two of their 21 fulltime contracted players to fill) remain favoured to acquire him.

At London Irish, Isaac Feun'ati's cruciate knee ligament will sideline the Samoan number eight until December.