Richard Cockerill adds Jason Spice to Leicester team
Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill has brought in experienced New Zealand scrum-half Jason Spice.
The player will join up with Leicester on a short-term deal that will see Spice move to the Tigers for four to five weeks.
Cockerill was seeking a replacement for England international Ben Youngs who will be away on duty with the national side for the month of November.
The England scrum-half will miss some significant matches for Leicester as he prepares to face New Zealand, Australia, Samoa and South Africa in the Autumn Internationals.
Cockerill could not call on his second choice scrum-half Sam Harrison, who is out with an injury.
Spice is currently playing for Launceston in the National League One on a game by game basis, after leaving Bristol when they failed to gain promotion into the Aviva Premiership last season.
The player will now choose to play for Leicester and will expect to return to the Cornish-based club in December.
Cockerill said, “Jason has initially come for four or five weeks. He is an experienced player and won't get fazed by coming in and playing in big games if we need him to."
Spice is expected to start against Harlequins in the LV= Cup on Friday 5 November.
Leicester have been indifferent so far this season. They have looked impressive in the Heineken Cup, but struggled by their high standards in the Aviva Premiership.
The Tigers are fifth in the league and are 11 points behind the leaders London Irish. The Autumn Internationals will mean that they will be without a number of key players.
Scrum-half was a particular concern, but with Spice they now have experienced cover. The New Zealander has played with Cardiff and the Ospreys in Wales and with Wellington in his native country.
Cockerill will hope that he has managed a shrewd piece of business in taking the 35-year-old to Welford Road.
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