England's attempts to sign two more high-profile league players, Bradford Bulls stand off Henry Paul and Wigan full back Kris Radlinski, bring the principle of joint RFU-club funding into sharper focus.
Leicester chief executive Peter Wheeler said: 'It may well be that we can come to an agreement which deals with the subject.
'It is not an insurmountable problem.' As Sale come to grips with paying for one ex- rugby league superstar, the Australians are finalising details to pay for another.
Wendell Sailor will launch his union career with the Queensland Reds Super 12 team at a salary of more than £200,000 when his league contract expires in October.
Wallaby coach Rod Macqueen has acclaimed the Lions as 'probably the strongest team ever to be sent to Australia'.
He said: 'There do not appear to be any weaknesses.
'We are used to peaking later in the summer for the TriNations so it's not going to be easy to make sure we are at our best right from the start.' Wasps back row specialist Joe Worsley confessed to being 'cheesed off' at his failure to make the 37- strong touring party. 'I thought I had done enough to make it,' he said. 'I am not happy.
'I'm going through my angry stage at the moment and my head isn't really clear but every cloud has a silver lining.
'England's tour to America gives me a real chance of a starting place and I'll be going hell for leather.
'I just wish I could have been involved with the Lions because it would have been a fantastic experience.'
Jonah Lomu has accepted an invitation to join the Barbarians for their end-of-season British tour next month, subject to Super 12 commitments with the Wellington Hurricanes.
A clash of fixtures last year restricted him to one Baa- baas appearance, against Ireland in Dublin.
The famous invitational team take on Wales in Cardiff on May 20, Scotland at Murrayfield on May 24 and an England XV at Twickenham on May 27.
Lomu, forced by injury to withdraw from the Barbarian match against South Africa in Cardiff six months ago, is anxious to resume where he left off last year.
He said: 'To represent a club which has so much history attached to it is a lifetime ambition for any player.
'It gives me another chance to take part in their unique style of attacking rugby.'
