Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

Blured

CouchSmart wrote: »

SOB and Jennings have signed 3 year deals with Leinster. Toner, McGrath and McFadden have signed for 2 years. Good news all around.

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/7054.php

Just need Sexton to re-sign now and we'll be in great shape.

Does anyone know if any of the contracts are Ireland ones?

jolley123

Good to see a front row talent like McGrath come through the system. It seems like he is a real talent, I heard that against Worcester he played great. Just need to see the same happen with Maguire and we're sorted in that area for a long long time.

CouchSmart

Blured wrote: »

Does anyone know if any of the contracts are Ireland ones?

Provincial. Sexton's will be announced by IRFU.

conf101

Lads am I going mad or did I hear a few days back that SOB got an international contract? I seem to remember hearing it but there's no mention of it today. Maybe I dreamed it!

durkadurka

Nothing like contract negotiations to get fellas playing out of their skins!

CouchSmart

conf101 wrote: »

Lads am I going mad or did I hear a few days back that SOB got an international contract? I seem to remember hearing it but there's no mention of it today. Maybe I dreamed it!

Nope. Already 4 backrows on the IRFU books, can't be having 5.

TheHighRoad

Comments by McGrath upon signing : "There's a good incentive for young players to perform well and seeing the likes of Dominic (Ryan), Rhys (Ruddock) and Eoin O'Malley take their chances this year does give you a boost. It has been great to learn off the top international talent in the pack and I'm aiming to build on that for the months and years ahead.".............And thats the difference between Munster and Leinster right now. In Leinster if your good enough no matter how young you'll get your chance which is probably why the squad is so competitive right now

thomond2006

Good news.

TheHighRoad

Also Sean O'Briens comments ""While it was flattering to have interest from overseas, I desperately want to be part of the Leinster story for the foreseeable future." ..............thank god we didn't let him get away! Now all we need is Sexton and Heaslip to sign, please god.

CouchSmart

TheHighRoad wrote: »

Now all we need is Heaslip to sign, please god.

If you catch my drift .

molloyjh

CouchSmart wrote: »

If you catch my drift .

I'll be at the Area 22 event tomorrow and you can be sure he'll be asked then. If not by me then others. I wouldn't be surprised if he announces it then tbh.

lemansky

molloyjh wrote: »

I'll be at the Area 22 event tomorrow and you can be sure he'll be asked then. If not by me then others. I wouldn't be surprised if he announces it then tbh.

Thats what I've been thinking, it would be the ideal time to announce it. I'll let you pop the question though

CouchSmart

Sexton was on Newstalk this evening. Seems frustrated about the contract stuff. If the IRFU won't give him what he wants why can't Leinster just step in, we're gonna end up having to spend a good bit bringing in a replacement otherwise... sigh.

On a side note, apologies for getting hopes up; my two best sources have let me down, a life of unconfirmed rumours awaits me.

Risteard

CouchSmart wrote: »

Sexton was on Newstalk this evening. Seems frustrated about the contract stuff. If the IRFU won't give him what he wants why can't Leinster just step in, we're gonna end up having to spend a good bit bringing in a replacement otherwise... sigh.

On a side note, apologies for getting hopes up; my two best sources have let me down, a life of unconfirmed rumours awaits me.

I'm not usually one for being extremely critical of the IRFU during contract negotiations, considering I don't exactly know anything about them but if it is true that they're messing him around a bit then it's astoundingly short sighted considering ROG got a long contract for someone in his stage of his career. Sexton really looks the only option at 10 for the next few years. Keatley could step up at Munster but right now Sexton is the only long-term option and it's imperative that he stays at Leinster.

Podge_irl

Risteard wrote: »

I'm not usually one for being extremely critical of the IRFU during contract negotiations, considering I don't exactly know anything about them but if it is true that they're messing him around a bit then it's astoundingly short sighted considering ROG got a long contract for someone in his stage of his career. Sexton really looks the only option at 10 for the next few years. Keatley could step up at Munster but right now Sexton is the only long-term option and it's imperative that he stays at Leinster.

The IRFU messed up massively with the contract they gave to ROG. They seem to be taking this out on Sexton.

trackguy

Podge_irl wrote: »

The IRFU messed up massively with the contract they gave to ROG. They seem to be taking this out on Sexton.

I doubt they are taking it out on him - I also doubt they feel that they made a mistake with ROG.

It could be just Sexton playing hard ball with them - and it's no harm. He probably is thinking along the lines of 'I'm number 1 now, ROG is coming to the end, without me you're screwed, now pay me'

Nothing wrong with that either.

Podge_irl

trackguy wrote: »

I doubt they are taking it out on him - I also doubt they feel that they made a mistake with ROG.

It could be just Sexton playing hard ball with them - and it's no harm. He probably is thinking along the lines of 'I'm number 1 now, ROG is coming to the end, without me you're screwed, now pay me'

Nothing wrong with that either.

None of us have any idea what Sexton is asking or what the IRFU are offering, so I guess it's all somewhat pointless idle speculation. ROG would appear to be sitting pretty though (and fair play to him) but you would have to expect that Sexton would be at least on what ROG is on - which is potentially the sticking point.

GerM

Fair play to Sexton for trying to get as good a contract as possible. He'll be 26 when this contract ends meaning he'll probably only get 7 years at best on an international contract and that's being generous enough given he's a running outhalf and has had a fair few injuries. Maybe only 6 years. He's one of the lowest paid players in the Irish set up currently. To put it into context, he's reportedly on €100k. Jackman was on €150k last season. He's going to have 6 or 7 years to make enough to set his life up. All the best to him. It's not his fault the IRFU have made a balls of their financial planning. I wonder how this will be spun however if Sexton ends up leaving.

CouchSmart

I feel like Leinster are a kid in the middle of a divorce. Doesn't matter where Sexton ends up, it's gonna be win-win for IRFU. If he moves he's off the wage bill but will still play for Ireland, if he stays they remain in charge of one of their key assets. If he goes, Leinster can't still play . Damn IRFU..

Kunny

Podge_irl wrote: »

None of us have any idea what Sexton is asking or what the IRFU are offering, so I guess it's all somewhat pointless idle speculation. ROG would appear to be sitting pretty though (and fair play to him) but you would have to expect that Sexton would be at least on what ROG is on - which is potentially the sticking point.

Sexton is in a great barganing position at present - fair play to him for using it .. and ireland should benefit either way.

TheHighRoad

Saw an opportunity today to get the low down after a close relative of Sexton's was online on fb chat. Basically Sexton has had offers from three french clubs two of whom are Toulouse and Stade Francais. He wasn't sure about the other club. Toulouse in particular have apparently offered outrageous money to Sexton. Sexton wants to stay with Leinster and doesn't even want the IRFU to match Toulouse's offer but he at the very least wants to be paid the same as his fellow internationals. Apparently hes getting very pissed off because the IRFU are screwing him around and trying to hard ball him despite being already one of the lowest paid internationals. IRFU aren't budging nor is Sexton. This has been going on for months as well.

pajunior

TheHighRoad wrote: »

Saw an opportunity today to get the low down after a close relative of Sexton's was online on fb chat. Basically Sexton has had offers from three french clubs two of whom are Toulouse and Stade Francais. He wasn't sure about the other club. Toulouse in particular have apparently offered outrageous money to Sexton. Sexton wants to stay with Leinster and doesn't even want the IRFU to match Toulouse's offer but he at the very least wants to be paid the same as his fellow internationals. Apparently hes getting very pissed off because the IRFU are screwing him around and trying to hard ball him despite being already one of the lowest paid internationals. IRFU aren't budging nor is Sexton. This has been going on for months as well.

I can't disagree with you because I don't know any such sources, but I will say that the IRFU has done very well over the last decade in keeping the best Irish talent in Ireland.

However if they are offering O'Callaghan and other players close to his age larger contracts then Sexton, I and I'm sure a lot of other people would be very annoyed.

TheHighRoad

TheHighRoad wrote: »

Saw an opportunity today to get the low down after a close relative of Sexton's was online on fb chat. Basically Sexton has had offers from three french clubs two of whom are Toulouse and Stade Francais. He wasn't sure about the other club. Toulouse in particular have apparently offered outrageous money to Sexton. Sexton wants to stay with Leinster and doesn't even want the IRFU to match Toulouse's offer but he at the very least wants to be paid the same as his fellow internationals. Apparently hes getting very pissed off because the IRFU are screwing him around and trying to hard ball him despite being already one of the lowest paid internationals. IRFU aren't budging nor is Sexton. This has been going on for months as well.

Gutted Toulouse have made him an offer. They are the only club better than Leinster at the moment. Anything else would be a step down

If that's true then someone in the IRFU needs a serious paddling.

He wants to stay, he's out first choice ten, why the **** can't you pay him what other internationals earn?

Jemo

If it is true then it's a complete and utter disgrace, an aging second choice outhalf shouldn't be given such preferential treatment at the expense of one of Ireland's greatest talents who is actually first choice and young. We shall see though, I doubt he will leave Leinster. The IRFU has a good history in this regard but then again it had a pristine history in ticketing up until recently also. Perhaps something has changed at Lansdowne road, there have been some serious cock-ups of late.

molloyjh

If it turns out that the IRFU are screwing him over I'd be VERY pissed off. All anyone needs to do is watch his performance on Saturday alone to realise he is one of the best talents we have at the moment. He should be paid as such.

tolosenc

Johnny (if you're reading this ) if the IRFU are screwing you around, just sign for Toulouse.

Why don't they just give him ROGs money and tell ROG to fup off to France?

phog

Podge_irl wrote: »

None of us have any idea what Sexton is asking or what the IRFU are offering, so I guess it's all somewhat pointless idle speculation. ROG would appear to be sitting pretty though (and fair play to him) but you would have to expect that Sexton would be at least on what ROG is on - which is potentially the sticking point.

Exactly - pointless speculation but then why drag ROG into it or do you know the full details of his contract?

Podge_irl

phog wrote: »

Exactly - pointless speculation but then why drag ROG into it or do you know the full details of his contract?

I was making pointless speculation.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Ireland Squad, RBS 6 Nations Championship 2011
Backs
Gordon D'Arcy (Landowne - Leinster)
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock - Leinster)
Shane Horgan (Boyne - Leinster)
Brian O'Driscoll (UCD - Leinster)
Eoin Reddan (Landowne - Leinster)
Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College - Leinster)
Forwards
Leo Cullen (Blackrock - Leinster)
Cian Healy (Clontarf - Leinster)
Jamie Heaslip (Naas - Leinster)
Shane Jennings (St. Mary's College - Leinster)
Sean O'Brien (Clontarf - Leinster)
Michael Ross (Clontarf - Leinster)
Rhys Ruddock (St. Mary's College - Leinster)

O2 Ireland Wolfhounds Squad (v Scotland A, Netherdale, Friday January28th)
Backs
Isaac Boss (Terenure College - Leinster)
Fergus McFadden(Old Belvedere - Leinster)
Eoin O'Malley (Old Belvedere - Leinster)
Forwards
Kevin McLaughlin (St. Mary's College - Leinster)
Dominic Ryan (Lansdowne - Leinster)
Devin Toner (Lansdowne - Leinster)

We have 19 players here who are part of the senior international squad or with the wolfhounds. Add to that Nathan Hines playing for Scotland there are 20 Leinster players involved in internationals. There are 4 ML matches during the 6Ns for Leinster.

There will I'm sure be a number of players released week to week to return to the Leinster squad for matches. That said which young players (non first team players) do you expect to have strong ML performances and stake a claim for a regular place at the end of the international window?