Jonny Sexton leaving Leinster *mod warning post 1*

Almaviva

Principal Skinner wrote: »

Madigan, Jackson and keatly should be the three out halves Ireland have in the squad from now on.

We have to send a message that, by all means go to France, but you won't be picks internationally

Disagree completely. Thats cutting off your nose to spite your face. Ireland must keep the great majority of the intetrnational team here to ensure provinces are competitive and local support is maintained. But a few abroad is no problem - saved wages, and, in the case where there is strong compeition for one place, it means more players are playing regularly at the top level.
If an Irish qualified player is the best man for the job, pick him, no matter what country he plays in.

tolosenc

dregin wrote: »

Rumours abound that Johne Murphy's heading French side soon too.

It just gets worse and worse!

Clareman

cp wrote: »

None of these players are in the same orbit as Sexton ability wise. 1/2 of them have promise, but at present are just about hcup level. Sexton will still be the Irish 10 for the six nations, bottom line.

4 seasons ago Leinster were bricking it about what would happen when the Doc left, 14 seasons ago Munster were bricking it that RoG wasn't a big game player, if you give players the opportunity they will take it and the cream will rise to the top.

Noopti

CatFromHue wrote: »

This is what I'm finding quite strange!

Yup. Could be he is heading to another club....like Clermont? Who knows!

chancer12

GerM wrote: »

We've done it before, we'll keep doing it. We don't have the depth or talent to cut our noses off to spite our face. Sexton is head and shoulders above the other candidates and should remain as first choice.

Players have a short window for high earnings. He's only looking after his future and good luck to him for it. He's by far the best 10 available and it would be incredibly short-sighted and mean-spirited not to select him. He's an outstanding player and always represents us well both on and off the pitch. We'll miss him at Leinster.

4PP

4PP wrote: »

Has anyone anywhere confirmation that he has actually signed for RCM92? There is still not a peep about it over here.........

Reports in France just now that he has not signed with the IRFU, still nothing about RCM92

CatFromHue

tolosenc wrote: »

On the contary, he was ****ed around by the IRFU to massage ROG's ego for ages. Wouldn't be surprised if he had little time for them.

If Declan Kidney picks ROG over Sexton it's got nothing to do with the IRFU, it's the coaches decision.

P_1

Clareman wrote: »

Not comparing apples with apples there at all I'm afraid.

First of all, the IRFU pay all the players and coaches salaries, the FAI just look after their own and the players aren't covered.

Secondly, and imvho most importantly, if the IRFU were to have given into Johnny's demands they would have to give the same to all other "Elite" players due to the structure of the deal with the players union, Johnny is the third player in recent memory that has played the "I'll go to France if you don't give me more money" card and is the first to have been called on it.

Besides the initial impact to Leinster, I can't see anything but positives for Irish rugby, it frees up a centrally contracted spot, it allows Johnny play in a tougher league, it allows another players to step up to the mark.

Finally, with Johnny going at the end of the season, it lessons the impact on Leinster considerably, baring injury Johnny will be going on the Lions tour in the Summer so he wouldn't be available for selection until almost November next season anyway.

Fair point actually. I guess what has me so agitated is the lack of autonomy that Leinster have from the IRFU.

Having said that now that the negotiations have finished between the IRFU and Sexton, can Leinster open up negotiations directly? I believe there may have been a precedent set with the Fitzgerald contract situation.

digzy

Best of luck to him. he owes us nothing. Fantastic player for club and country. it's a pro game and the players are right to do whats best for themselves.
I see it's a 2 year deal. wonder how leinsters out half( probably madigan) would feel knowing that he was only keeping the seat warm for sexto.

Hopefully madigan will blossom & sexton will have to join munster just in time to replace rog:D

dregin

dregin wrote: »

Rumours abound that Johne Murphy's heading French side soon too.

Thousands line the streets to mourn Sexton's departure



At Johnne Murghy's going away party, the guest of honor is yet to arrive.

Cosmo Kramer

totallegend wrote: »

Since the IRFU, in their infinite and foot-shooting stupidity, have decided that the national team is the be-all and end-all of rugby, this is a GREAT outcome for them.

The highest-paid player in Irish rugby is now off the payroll, having been developed by Leinster into the best out-half in Europe, but they will still be able to call on him for the national side but at a fraction of the cost. Meanwhile, they get to see if Ian Madigan can also develop into an international OH.

Jonny gets a bump in pay and a couple of years living in Paris.

The only losers here are Leinster and their fans.

F**k you, IRFU.

The national team IS the be all and end all of Irish rugby. The provinces only exist to support it, a lot of provincial supporters forget this but its the reality.

I don't think having Sexton playing outside the IRFU setup is good for Irish rugby. It will save on his salary and give Madigan a great opportunity to develop into the standard of player some people mistakenly think he already is, but you would still much prefer to see Sexton in Ireland having his gametime managed rather than playing week after week in France.

However money talks so we'll have to deal with it and move on. Best of luck Jonny.

Clareman

Reminder folks, this is a thread on Johnny Sexton, not a RoG or Kidney debate.

DeDoc

CatFromHue wrote: »

The thing I'm finding weird is that the IRFU have said they've ended negotiations with Sexton due to him supposedly having a big offer from somewhere else.

The usual path would have been
1 rumour mill stuff about player going abroad,
2 IRFU saying we're working on it, player saying they hope to get it all wrapped up soon,
3 IRFU or new club announce new signing,
4 IRFU or new club which didn't get the player saying they couldn't compete financially or player never wanted to leave Ireland.

What we have now though is the IRFU skipping 3 and going straight to 4!

The plot thickens as they say!!

More likely that he was given a deadline of today to decide on IRFU offer and gave his response. Mick Corcoran has a mole in the IRFU, and Corcoran went public with the news. IRFU were under pressure to clarify and did so. New club will no doubt play catch-up in short time.

Winters

Racing can't announce the deal till April.

Has anyone told Johnny that he might be in the Amlin next year?

awec

Interesting that there is no announcement as to where he's going. But Joe Schmidt clearly said that the offer he received is exceptional, so there's obviously a club there.

Winters

Winters wrote: »

Racing can't announce the deal till April.

Has anyone told Johnny that he might be in the Amlin next year?

Ah he'll be used to it by then

Clareman

P_1 wrote: »

Fair point actually. I guess what has me so agitated is the lack of autonomy that Leinster have from the IRFU.

Having said that now that the negotiations have finished between the IRFU and Sexton, can Leinster open up negotiations directly? I believe there may have been a precedent set with the Fitzgerald contract situation.

Leinster would have to get approval from the IRFU to pay outside of their normal structures, they definitely won't be given approval to pay more than a Central Contract to an Irish player, Luke was allowed talk to Leinster about taking a reduced contract.

Lightbulb Sun

http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/28190.php

Confirmed there by the IRFU. Sorry if it's already been posted. Best of luck to the guy.

CatFromHue

awec wrote: »

Interesting that there is no announcement as to where he's going. But Joe Schmidt clearly said that the offer he received is exceptional, so there's obviously a club there.

Joe used to work for Clermont so has inside info.......

Fishooks13

So, possible NIQ 10's Leinster could sign?

I really don't see another way around it. Madigan could be good enough to be starting ten but Reid is simply not adequate back up

Clareman

Fishooks13 wrote: »

So, possible NIQ 10's Leinster could sign?

I really don't see another way around it. Madigan could be good enough to be starting ten but Reid is simply not adequate back up

Dan Parks is the NIQ 10 in Ireland

awec

Fishooks13 wrote: »

So, possible NIQ 10's Leinster could sign?

I really don't see another way around it. Madigan could be good enough to be starting ten but Reid is simply not adequate back up

Pretty sure they can't sign a NIQ 10.

Fishooks13

Clareman wrote: »

Dan Parks is the NIQ 10 in Ireland

Ah **** ya forgot

totallegend

Cosmo Kramer wrote: »

The national team IS the be all and end all of Irish rugby. The provinces only exist to support it, a lot of provincial supporters forget this but its the reality.

I hate that attitude and I don't agree with the basic premise.

awec

Fishooks13 wrote: »

Ah **** ya forgot

Play Madigan I guess is their only option.

Also, this frees up a central contract I guess? Who'll get that?

totallegend

Clareman wrote: »

Dan Parks is the NIQ 10 in Ireland

Playing at Connacht so he's not included.

Hoop66

Fishooks13 wrote: »

How? How are they muppets?

By sticking rigidly to their outdated methods and by not finding ways to combat the threat of big money French and English clubs poaching the best Irish players. This has been in the pipeline for a while and their response is "do what we've always done"

This will be bad in the short term (Sexton not playing his rugby in Ireland, weakening the Leinster & Ireland squads) and the long term (floodgates opened, other players will take the money and run) for Irish rugby. Which is the opposite of what the IRFU should be doing.

mr_edge_to_you

Just got a text from my mate. Works in a small accountancy office down beside the Leinster branch office.

He said a FedEx van arrived to pick up what looked like the "Sextons on fire" banner. Apparently the IRFU weren't prepared to match Racings offer of €20k.

Pudsy33

Clareman wrote: »

Dan Parks is the NIQ 10 in Ireland

What an absolutely stupid rule that is!

molloyjh

JohnFalstaff wrote: »

Very disappointing to see Sexton go. Hopefully this is not the start of an exodus of this country's top players.

Maybe some Leinster supporters might now understand the strength of feeling that Mike McCarthy's move provoked in Connacht circles. It's never easy losing one of your best players.

The McCarthy thing was different though. We all understood peoples disappointment at his leaving. What we didn't understand or appreciate was the vitriol towards Leinster for signing him. Nobody here is having a go at Racing.


I'm wondering what people make of the Racing presidents comments now that this has been confirmed. He stated it was all about Johnny getting a better deal with the IRFU. Did that make the IRFU less inclined to up their offer I wonder? Was it a bit of genius on his part?

And apparently Clermont and Toulon both walked away from the table because they believed they were being used. How pissed would they be if that were true?