Dallaglio deal takes him into wage elite

Lawrence Dallaglio has agreed a new three-year deal with Wasps worth around £700,000 which will make him the highest-paid English player in rugby's Premiership.

The contract, effective from next season, will keep Britain's highest-profile player at Loftus Road until May 2004 and catapult him high among the elite earning more than £200,000-a-year from their clubs, a list topped at £250,000-a-year by Newcastle wing Va'aiga Tuigamala and Saracens' full back Thomas Castaignede.

Dallaglio's readiness to spend the rest of his international career with Wasps rather than put himself on the transfer market underlines his sense of loyalty in sticking with the club who stuck with him over the drug allegations which cost him the England captaincy 18 months ago.

His imminent re-signing will give Wasps a timely boost following their premature removal from Europe and the Tetley's Bitter Cup.

'We are in the final stages of negotiation and I expect to be signing the contract certainly before Christmas,' he said. 'I am happy to stay at Wasps. They have been very good to me, supporting me wholeheartedly given the situation I found myself in last year. 'Wasps gave me the opportunity to play for England in the first place.

For my part, I have never been in the business of seeking another offer and then asking the club to match it.'

At 28, Dallaglio had been invited to name his price by Toulon. 'Nobody in the England squad earns his living outside the country and that's healthy,' he said. 'A move abroad at this stage of my career would not have been beneficial. 'Wasps have had a few problems this season but I still think we are competitive enough to challenge for the Premiership title. It's my job to push the team on to win more trophies.'