SARACENS moved to fill the void set to be created by the imminent departure of Raphael Ibanez by completing the signing of Lions' hooker Shane Byrne this week.

Ibanez, the fiery France international, failed to report for the start of pre-season training last week after a fall-out with head coach Steve Diamond at the end of last season, and he is currently locked in talks with chief executive Mark Sinderberry in a bid to secure a release from a lucrative three-year contract.

London Wasps are understood to be Ibanez's preferred destination and they are pursuing the most-capped French hooker with real vigour after the departure of Trevor Leota.

Diamond was initially opposed to the idea of letting Ibanez join their arch rivals, preferring instead to see him head back across the channel, but he is now looking for a swift conclusion to the saga.

The Frenchman's wage demands, he is one of the top earners at Vicarage Road may also be a stumbling block for the Zurich Premiership champions but Ibanez could be willing to take a pay cut if it means he remains in London.

The fact that Olivier Magne, the celebrated France loose forward and Ibanez's brother in law, has recently secured a move to the Premiership with London Irish is also further reason for him to extend his stay in England.

Many observers felt Ibanez's future at Sarries was going to hinge on qualification for the Heineken Cup but the Frenchman has been irked by Diamond's selection policy which has left him playing second fiddle to Matt Cairns, the hooker who followed Diamond south from Sale, for the much of the season.

Cairns' reliable line-out throwing saw him start two thirds of the matches last season and Ibanez's frustration eventually manifested itself in a training ground bust-up with Cairns in February which left the England A hooker with a black eye.

Although Diamond is an admirer of Ibanez's abrasive style of play he is not prepared to jeopardise the team spirit he has worked so had to foster since he took charge and is delighted to have been able to replace the Frenchman with someone of Byrne's pedigree.

"Shane is a very good player and fits the criteria of a world class tight-five forward we have been looking for," said Diamond. "He's a good set-piece player, a good defender and he'll be a great addition to the squad."

The move for the vastly experienced Byrne, capped 38 times by Ireland and Leinster's record appearance holder, has been orchestrated by assistant coach Mike Ford, who has worked closely with Byrne during his time as Ireland's defence guru.

"Mike has excellent knowledge of the player from his time with Ireland and we are delighted that Shane has joined us," said Diamond.

Some fans have argued that Byrne, who turns 34 later this month, does not fit the criteria of the club's revamped recruitment policy, but Diamond countered: "We have tried to base the squad around a young English core and, where we can, we want to maintain that. We have two good English hookers in Matt Cairns and Andy Kyriacou and the capture of Shane gives us a good balance."