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JAMIE Soward is set to make a shock defection to the UK Super League for the remainder of this year.
St George Illawarra have given Soward their blessing to finish the season elsewhere and The Daily Telegraph can reveal Soward will apply for a British work visa this week.
Soward's agent, Sam Ayoub, last night confirmed talks with "several" UK Super League clubs had commenced over the weekend and he is hopeful of finalising a short-term deal within the next three or four days.
Ayoub declined to reveal which clubs were interested, but it appears certain Soward will now take an English sojourn before joining Penrith on a four-year deal in November.
"We've been looking at options, both here in the NRL and England," Ayoub said. "We feel it would be good for Jamie to start afresh in England, before he returns to Penrith. There are several Super League clubs showing interest to have Jamie on board for the rest of this year."
It's likely Soward will continue to train with Dragons, and play for their NSW Cup feeder side Illawarra Cutters, until he gets the green light to depart. As former Wests Tigers playmaker Jacob Miller discovered last month, UK work visas can take several weeks to be processed.
That means it's unlikely Soward has played his last game as a contracted Dragons player and he should again be selected for NSW Cup this weekend. Nevertheless, it's been a heady and swift divorce.
Less than two weeks ago, Soward was an established and senior member of St George Illawarra's starting side. But a one-on-one meeting with coach Steve Price following the team's 16-14 loss to Canterbury signalled the end.
Price's dissatisfaction was not confined to Soward's below-par form.
Disciplinary lapses had also irked the coach, who gave Soward last Monday off training to clear his head.
The former NSW Origin pivot returned to discover he had been dropped to NSW Cup and replaced by Chase Stanley, but played strongly in the Cutters' 28-26 loss to Newcastle last Saturday.
He was also dropped late last season, although Price and Soward vehemently denied a falling out at the time.
Soward joined the Dragons on a mid-season transfer from the Roosters in 2007, when Nathan Brown was coaching the Big Red V.
Brown is now in charge of St Helens, who are not among the English clubs vying for Soward's services.
After losing veteran playmaker Craig Gower to Newcastle this week, the London Broncos shape as an option.
http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/st...to-finish-season/story-fndujljl-1226661497993
St George Illawarra have given Soward their blessing to finish the season elsewhere and The Daily Telegraph can reveal Soward will apply for a British work visa this week.
Soward's agent, Sam Ayoub, last night confirmed talks with "several" UK Super League clubs had commenced over the weekend and he is hopeful of finalising a short-term deal within the next three or four days.
Ayoub declined to reveal which clubs were interested, but it appears certain Soward will now take an English sojourn before joining Penrith on a four-year deal in November.
"We've been looking at options, both here in the NRL and England," Ayoub said. "We feel it would be good for Jamie to start afresh in England, before he returns to Penrith. There are several Super League clubs showing interest to have Jamie on board for the rest of this year."
It's likely Soward will continue to train with Dragons, and play for their NSW Cup feeder side Illawarra Cutters, until he gets the green light to depart. As former Wests Tigers playmaker Jacob Miller discovered last month, UK work visas can take several weeks to be processed.
That means it's unlikely Soward has played his last game as a contracted Dragons player and he should again be selected for NSW Cup this weekend. Nevertheless, it's been a heady and swift divorce.
Less than two weeks ago, Soward was an established and senior member of St George Illawarra's starting side. But a one-on-one meeting with coach Steve Price following the team's 16-14 loss to Canterbury signalled the end.
Price's dissatisfaction was not confined to Soward's below-par form.
Disciplinary lapses had also irked the coach, who gave Soward last Monday off training to clear his head.
The former NSW Origin pivot returned to discover he had been dropped to NSW Cup and replaced by Chase Stanley, but played strongly in the Cutters' 28-26 loss to Newcastle last Saturday.
He was also dropped late last season, although Price and Soward vehemently denied a falling out at the time.
Soward joined the Dragons on a mid-season transfer from the Roosters in 2007, when Nathan Brown was coaching the Big Red V.
Brown is now in charge of St Helens, who are not among the English clubs vying for Soward's services.
After losing veteran playmaker Craig Gower to Newcastle this week, the London Broncos shape as an option.
http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/st...to-finish-season/story-fndujljl-1226661497993
