Jonny Sexton leaving Leinster *mod warning post 1*

phog

ssaye wrote: »

Not me, but I say the finance department in LR will be worried about the 12500 season ticket renewals in March esp if rumours of a bit of an exodus.

I'd seriously doubt they'll be a mad rush NOT to renew their Season Tickets. Total over reaction to bad news really.

P_1 wrote: »

Only after the negotiations with the IRFU broke down. That is not a good way of doing business no matter what way you look at it.

Do you want the provinces and the IRFU negotiating contracts with the same player and at the same time? Madness. Bad enough trying to do it with foreign clubs sniffing around.

Heroditas

Clareman wrote: »

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.

Couldn't agree more. People were extremely skeptical of Jonny's ability back in 2009.
I actually think Madigan is a better player now than Sexton was back in 2009.
Who knows? Madigan could develop into quite an outstanding player now that he'll be the incumbent for the 10 jersey at Leinster and we could end up an equally outstanding talent.
What worries me most is the lack of cover when he goes but I'm sure that will be worked on.

Tim Robbins

Not good move for Ireland either. Can't imagine training camps been very productive when your 10 can't make it for T14 commitments.

ScissorPaperRock

Hoop66 wrote: »

By sticking rigidly to their outdated methods and by not finding ways to combat the threat of big money French and English clubs poaching the best Irish players.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.

They can't invent money, and they can't force players to stay. It's inevitable.

Almaviva

Hoop66 wrote: »

By sticking rigidly to their outdated methods and by not finding ways to combat the threat of big money French and English clubs poaching the best Irish players.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.

What theyve done has worked just fine. One swallow doesnt make a flood.

Sinbad_NI

Fair play to him and good luck, hopefully we'll see him back in Ireland at some stage.

Fishooks13

Hoop66 wrote: »

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.
.

The same methods that have been successful in keeping every top class player in Ireland bar Sexton since the beginning of the pro era?

What else do you expect them to do? Plant a money tree?

Did you even think that maybe Sexton wanted to go for a new challenge anyway?

Tim Robbins

Heroditas wrote: »

Couldn't agree more. People were extremely skeptical of Jonny's ability back in 2009.
I actually think Madigan is a better player now than Sexton was back in 2009.
Who knows? Madigan could develop into quite an outstanding player now that he'll be the incumbent for the 10 jersey at Leinster and we could end up an equally outstanding talent.
What worries me most is the lack of cover when he goes but I'm sure that will be worked on.

for Leinster's sake there is no point playing Sexton at ten again for many games this season. He should be on the bench. We need to know what Madigan can do at a higher level and if we need to sign a decent 10 over the summer if he can't produce.

Heroditas

phog wrote: »

I'd seriously doubt they'll be a mad rush NOT to renew their Season Tickets. Total over reaction to bad news really.

I think it might affect them slightly.
We had a waiting list for applications last year but failure to get into the HEC q/f, coupled with Sexton leaving and, who knows, maybe BOD retiring could have a portion of the newer slightly more casual fans having second thoughts about renewing.

Stev_o

What a waste going to a sub par league where the brand of rugby makes the Premiership at times look good.

GerM

Hoop66 wrote: »

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"

It's money. There's no magical way of getting around it. It's not a salary cap where they can get hidden bonuses in by employing his other half as barstaff for €100k. It's black and white. They don't have it to give. Racing do. It's nobody's fault.

awec

Does this free up a central contract? Would this see the likes of Jackson get offered a central contract at the end of the season (I'm assuming that ROG's current central contract will be his last) ?

Careful Now

Good luck to Sexton. Worries me now kearney and healy both out of contract in summer. Reckon they would have stayed if Johnny did. Prb thinking twice now.

marco_polo

molloyjh wrote: »

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?

I wonder if nothing has been announced perhaps the other two came back to the table at the last minute?

P_1

phog wrote: »

Do you want the provinces and the IRFU negotiating contracts with the same player and at the same time? Madness. Bad enough trying to do it with foreign clubs sniffing around.

If it helps prevent the provinces losing key players then hell yes.

Fishooks13

Stev_o wrote: »

What a waste going to a sub par league where the brand of rugby makes the Premiership at times look good.

As opposed to the Rabo?

Podge_irl

Well ****.

Would like to think he'd end up somewhere better than Racing.

Almaviva

Heroditas wrote: »

I think it might affect them slightly.
We had a waiting list for applications last year but failure to get into the HEC q/f, coupled with Sexton leaving and, who knows, maybe BOD retiring could have a portion of the newer slightly more casual fans having second thoughts about renewing.

Cant see it having any effect whatsoever. Sexton contributed very well to the success of the team. But had no star pulling power that would have anyone reconsider renewal.

awec

Stev_o wrote: »

What a waste going to a sub par league where the brand of rugby makes the Premiership at times look good.

A pretty ironic statement to make in regards to a player who currently plays in the Rabo...

Hoop66

Fishooks13 wrote: »

The same methods that have been successful in keeping every top class player in Ireland bar Sexton since the beginning of the pro era?

What else do you expect them to do? Plant a money tree?

Did you even think that maybe Sexton wanted to go for a new challenge anyway?

Tommy Bowe? Geordan Murphy?

I accept that thay have done pretty well in the past. I also accept that they don't have the money. But what I would like to have seen is some creative thinking, find other ways to keep the players.

Perhaps I'm being a bit cynical, but I think the only challenge he's thinking about is how to spend the money.

marco_polo

Hoop66 wrote: »

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.

Their is a fixed pool of money in Irish rugby so short of a money tree where would you take it out of the academies or club rugby perhaps?

fitz

Winters wrote: »

The provinces money IS the IRFUs money.

Yes, but there's clearly a central contract IRFU budget, and the provinces have their own separate budgets and revenue streams (which include funding from the IRFU). Surely if Leinster wanted to keep Sexton and were willing to rejig their provincial budget to divert 200k towards supplementing the central contract, that should be the branch's call?

Can't blame Sexton, it's a huge payday, and he needs to look after his own interests. If he was going to go and return to finish his career here, now was going to be the best time for him to do so. Disappointed, but not surprised.

Hope Madigan can take his chance. This could be the making of him...

justsomebloke

Hoop66 wrote: »

Tommy Bowe?

Players based in Northern Ireland can't avail of the tax relief that is offered to Players in the Republic so it is much harder for the IRFU to keep them if they want to move

Cosmo Kramer

totallegend wrote: »

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

Just because you hate the idea and don't agree with it doesn't mean it is not true. The provinces exist to support the national team, everything else - trophys, awards, supporters of provincial sides - is ancillary to that. And I say that as a supporter of a provincial side as well as the national team.

Clareman

Tim Robbins wrote: »

Not good move for Ireland either. Can't imagine training camps been very productive when your 10 can't make it for T14 commitments.

Didn't do any harm to Ireland when their captain and hooker was based in England.

Clareman

justsomebloke wrote: »

Players based in Northern Ireland can't avail of the tax relief that is offered to Players in the Republic so it is much harder for the IRFU to keep them if they want to move

Tommy is a Monaghan boy don't forget

awec

awec wrote: »

Does this free up a central contract? Would this see the likes of Jackson get offered a central contract at the end of the season (I'm assuming that ROG's current central contract will be his last) ?

We shouldn't have any centrally contracted 10 for the next 2/3 years.

Keatley, Jackson, Madigan and Sexton will all be fighting for that jersey.

Central contracts should be for irreplaceable / marquee style players.

The POCs, BODs, Sextons (sigh), Best, SOB's, Ferris's.

Central contracting seems to get in the way of playing guys who are in form and deserve a start ahead of guys on the central money.

4PP

Winters wrote: »

Racing can't announce the deal till April.

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

Racing, the players, the officials can say nothing, but that does not apply to the media..............still nothing about him signing anywhere bar a quote from Schmidt saying the money was huge even by French standards

P_1

Clareman wrote: »

Didn't do any harm to Ireland when their captain and hooker was based in England.

Times have changed though. Today the provinces have a much higher support base and generate more revenue than they did ten years ago.

Careful Now

Pretty sure Sexton woulda dictated all the terms in the Racing contract to make sure he was free for all training camps.

Other point to note is he has said before he wants to play week in and out. He doesnt like being forced to rest by irfu. He said a few weeks back he wanted to play against ulster in rabo but kidney forced leinster to rest him.