Tigers replace Dupuy with Grindal

Allowing Julien to leave the club is a decision that has not been taken lightly Leicester Tigers head coach Richard Cockerill

Leicester Tigers have re-signed their former scrum-half James Grindal from Newcastle Falcons, clearing the way for Julien Dupuy to join Stade Francais.

Dupuy played a key role for Tigers last season, helping them reach the Heineken Cup final and win the Premiership.

But the 25-year-old France international was eager to return to his homeland for personal reasons.

Grindal, 28, re-joins the club where he started his senior career in 1999, after seven years with Newcastle.

England Saxons international Grindal has made 200 first-team appearances with his two clubs and will compete with Harry Ellis and Ben Youngs for the number nine jersey.

Dupuy has reportedly been unsettled at Leicester because his French girlfriend is homesick.

Tigers head coach Richard Cockerill said: "Allowing Julien to leave the club is a decision that has not been taken lightly, but he made it clear that, for personal reasons, he wanted to go back to France.

"Stade were willing to pay a substantial fee to take him there and we have to think of the squad as a whole when making these decisions.

606: DEBATE No surprises Julien goes to Stade but we get James Grindal back from Newcastle. Is he a goal kicking 9 and where does he fit in the line up with Ellis, Youngs and Sam Harrison? baggisrus49

"It would have been difficult to keep a player who saw his future elsewhere.

"Julien came here as a squad player from Biarritz and he has enjoyed an excellent year in the Tigers environment, to the extent that this summer he is a starting selection for France.

"Now that he has made his debut for France, we could have faced the situation where we lose both him and Harry Ellis to international squads for significant parts of the season and that has also had a bearing on my decision.

"We have a British & Irish Lions scum-half in Harry and we have had the emergence of Ben Youngs who we would like to see continue with his development.

"Now we have added James to the competition for the scrum-half shirt and we are very happy to be able to bring him in.

"James obviously knows the Leicester culture after coming through the ranks here as a young guy and he has a lot of experience. He has played more than 150 first-team games for Newcastle and he is still a young guy. We look forward to welcoming him.

"Julien had an added role as a goal-kicker with us last season and the transfer fee does allow us to have a look at our goal-kicking options if necessary."