Reporting of rivals sees Leeds keen to avoid repeat pillage of players following relegation

The Yorkshire club allege that London Irish and Fourie’s agent James Adams negotiated a move for the England flanker before the end of the season and without the knowledge of the club for whom he remains contracted until June 30, 2012.

Leeds will be relegated next Wednesday if Worcester complete a Championship play-off final victory over Cornish Pirates and they are conscious that they do not become victims to plundering of their star players by Premiership clubs, as has happened before.

They have already allowed Steve Thompson to leave his contract to join Wasps and Scott Mathie to end his time at Headingley early by moving to Sale.

But Fourie does not have a get-out clause in his contract and the club are keen that if he does leave, the proper protocol is followed.

“The last time we were relegated from the Premiership, our players were pillaged and we did nothing about it because we were concentrating on getting straight back up,” said chief executive Gary Hetherington.

“That upset a lot of clubs and the regulations were tightened. This is the first instance of this happening this summer and we are reporting the matter to the authorities to put a stop to it, right now.”

In a statement, Hetherington said the complaint had been registered against both Adams and London Irish. Hetherington said: “We allege unprofessional conduct in that James Adams contacted London Irish and negotiated a lucrative contract for Fourie in the weeks leading up to the end of the league season in full knowledge that the player was under contract.

“Also that London Irish negotiated a lucrative contract with the player’s agent and, thereby, unsettling him and inducing him to break his contract with Leeds Carnegie.”

Hetherington has also reiterated that the club will be patient in their search for a successor to Neil Back as head coach.

Former Doncaster Knights director of rugby Lynn Howells has put in his application, while Simon Middleton remains a strong candidate if the club decide to promote from within.

Ex-Leeds Rhinos player Gary Mercer, who currently coaches in the Magners League, is also believed to be interested while former Carnegie player Tom Rock yesterday left his job as head coach of Blaydon.