After a long negotiation between Leinster and the Australian rugby union, second row Kane Douglas has been released from his contract to return home to Australia. The second row was a marquee signing for the Leinster last season, but only made 20 appearances in an injury disrupted season that didn't see the lock's best form.
Rumours of a return to Australia surfaced in February, before Leinster revealed last month that Douglas had been called up by the Australian national team. The Australian international selection policy states that they would only pick players who player for their Super Rugby franchises and thus tried to tempt Douglas back to his home country.
It was rumoured that a fee of €250,000 was standing in the way of Leinster releasing him, but it looks like a suitable compensation has been agreed.
Douglas is widely expected to make the Australian Rugby World Cup squad, and it rumoured to be joining the Queensland Reds as a replacement for the departing James Horwill.
Douglas isn't the only southern hemisphere to break a contract. Paul O'Connell's Toulon are demanding compensation from the ARU after Quade Cooper reneged on a signed deal to join the three time European champions to sign a new contract with them, while new All Black Waisake Naholo got out of a pre-contract agreement with Clermont Auvergne after being selected for his adopted country.
