"Next Jonny" - Leicester Tigers set to sign exciting fly-half prospect Wilkinson

The fly-half, who previously played for England's U20 team, joined Sale's academy six years ago following his departure from Kirkham Grammar.

He made his debut in the Challenge Cup just one year later and went on to make 33 appearances for the club.

His last game with the Sharks was in February, during the Premiership Cup semi-final against Exeter.

A skilful and aggressive fly-half, Kieran isn’t afraid to back himself with ball in hand or off the kicking tee – much like his heroes Aussie Quade Cooper and England legend Jonny Wilkinson. 

1. Jason Leonard (England): He was seen by Wilkinson as “someone who inspired and brought energy to the game” with impact.

2. Keith Wood (Ireland): “You need someone here in this position who can bring you the set piece control but at the same time I think they need to be aggressive, be someone that runs hard, someone that doesn’t stop, never gives up.”

3. Craig Dowd (New Zealand): “As with all tight heads what you want is someone who doesn’t take no for an answer, someone who is maybe a little quieter but someone you just don’t mess with”

4. Bakkies Botha (South Africa): "Someone incredibly fierce but very very down to earth” and “at times he’s exactly what a team needs.”

5. Martin Johnson (England): “intelligent, another massive leader, gets himself around the park. My captain"

6. Richard Hill (England): “A guy that stood the test of time and has remained at the best, the highest level of the game for that time.”

7. Richie McCaw (New Zealand): “A guy that stood the test of time and has remained at the best, the highest level of the game for that time.”

8. Pat Lam (Samoa): “He was one of the most creative, instinctive players as well as bringing his own brand of leadership and the way he saw the game.”

9. Gary Armstrong (Scotland): “The sheer aggression and resilience of the guy, his sheer character meant that anything, any ball that wasn’t good enough to go out to the number ten was never going to go out to the number ten. He would deal with everything himself and that meant control of the game”

10. Lynagh, Carter, Larkham, Stransky, Fox: “This is the key position for any World Cup winning team. You need guys that are going to lead and continue to do so right to the final seconds when it gets very, very tough. I can't just pick one."

12. Tim Horan (Australia): “A guy that knew how to win, knew how to play the game. His body language suggested he didn’t really know how to fail or what mistakes were, what under performance was.”

13. Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland): “The ability to change the game in a second, a heartbeat, with his movement, with his skill, his game reading but also his leadership.”

11. Jonah Lomu (New Zealand): “The guy is quite a remarkable rugby legend and deserves to be so. No Rugby World cup team would be complete without him.”

14. Jason Robinson (England): “His flair, his game reading, his sheer explosivity to really change a game is something that sticks in my memory. We wouldn't have won the World Cup without him,”

15. Serge Blanco (France): "He typified French rugby at its best with his audacity, ambition and flair. He was most famous for his scintillating counter-attacks, frequently running the ball out of seemingly impossible situations."