Mike McCarthy will join Leinster next season

[fourthirtythree]

For those of you who haven't read the Connacht announcement here it is to marvel at its hypocrisy. Well done Connacht rugby! Despite being initially sympathetic I don't give a sh!t what you think about this any more you bunch of whiny hypocrites.

I think thats a bit harsh, Connacht get done by the IRFU and this was just a case of frustration imo, I think targeting Leinster is wrong. As said before Munster and Leinster have taken players off them in the past as well as the Aviva Premiership teams so I can't blame them being frustrated again when they look to be building not just the 15 on the team but a stronger club (stadium and squad), and then they lose one of their best players.

I had a look at the Connacht forum and most of them are very gracious in it and seem to be frustrated at the IRFU rather than us (except for one who seems to have a huge dislike for all in Leinster). As a Leinster fan I am delighted for him to be coming, I would of liked to see him stay but in reality if it wasn't us Munster or Ulster would of signed him

It may be harsh on Steel, but it's reasonably fair. If you look at the quote he complained about us signing McCarthy and the next paragraph crows about signing White, who Leinster wanted to offer a contract to but the IRFU wouldn't let us re-sign a NIQ tighthead. "So for the benefit of Irish rugby" they signed him. Hypocrisy.

[nopeare]

It may be harsh on Steel, but it's reasonably fair. If you look at the quote he complained about us signing McCarthy and the next paragraph crows about signing White, who Leinster wanted to offer a contract to but the IRFU wouldn't let us re-sign a NIQ tighthead. "So for the benefit of Irish rugby" they signed him. Hypocrisy.

I agree it is Hypocrisy with those 2 lines and as you said I think someone in PR might get a earful, but all I am saying is I can fully understand where its coming from. I was a fan of white but we had Ross and Hagan was brought back as the cover/future 3. So white was our second 3 that was going to be pushed to third choice if things went well with Hagan (I was still annoyed when he left).

But as seapoint said we are after taking the likes of their BOD in this move which has to be heart breaking for a club, so in comparison to white who was a squad player for us they're losing probably the first name on their team sheet.

[Peg Leg]

I think Cronin has overtaken Strauss as the better player fit for Leinster. Strauss' work in the breakdown in peerless, but we have other dogs who can hunt. We're dominating a lot of set pieces these days and Cronin is at the centre of a lot of that. Where we're lacking a little this season is in ball carrying line-breakers and Cronin is way more effective than Strauss these days in getting behind and (so importantly) running trail lines behind other carriers.

I'd probably prefer to see Cronin stay than Strauss, if I had to call it today.

Cronin is definitely more powerful, but when it comes to running lines I disagree. How many times have we seen Boss/Reddan (moreso Boss IIRC) pop a pass to Strauss coming round the corner and through a gap? I actually think Strauss to be peerless in this regard, he just reads the plays so well.

[cormac]

Guys I think you have to keep a perspective on this, and may have a think about it from our side. Macca means a lot more to Connacht than just a decent player, and that is where the hurt is coming from. He has become part of the fabric of this team and one of it's leaders, I would equate the move as say BO'D moving from Leinster to Munster three or four seasons back, could you imagine the hurt seeing him come back to the RDS wearing Red.

From our side we see ourself making some progress after years of having IRFU under-investment and appointments (Bradley) foistered upon us holding back our progress and then bang our best player is gone. It's not just the player on the park we have to replace he is a stone cold legend out west.

There is no hypocrisy about the comments because Connacht have never tracked a senior Leinster player for recruitment, White was gone from Leinster (the Bent contract was in place before we signed him). There has been no Leinster first choice player who has moved across to Galway, they have been players either out of contract or who have moved away previously. Carr (Rock)/Keatley (Tarf) were playing before they came west, and Hagan baled from UCD before playing for them, Gannon was playing for Blackrock when he came to us first and we resigned him from Exeter.

The worst part of it is the timing in that we are in a really critical part of the season for us, this announcement could really kill the momentum form the win last Friday stone dead...

No front line Leinster player is likely to want to move west, while there is currently a fairly obvious reason for Connacht players to move. It's not particularly fair by any stretch of the imagination but it's unfortunately the way of professional sport.

I'd hope the PGB at Connacht have been planning for this eventuality and are lining up a number of players to help enhance Connacht's chances for next season.

[Golf Man]

For those of you who haven't read the Connacht announcement here it is to marvel at its hypocrisy. Well done Connacht rugby! Despite being initially sympathetic I don't give a sh!t what you think about this any more you bunch of whiny hypocrites.

It may be harsh on Steel, but it's reasonably fair. If you look at the quote he complained about us signing McCarthy and the next paragraph crows about signing White, who Leinster wanted to offer a contract to but the IRFU wouldn't let us re-sign a NIQ tighthead. "So for the benefit of Irish rugby" they signed him. Hypocrisy.

Two ridiculous comments - yes Connacht have taken players from Leinster and Munster in the past, but none of these was first choice or even close to it. To compare White moving to Connacht with McCarthy moving from Connacht is just not the same thing. Stephen Keogh moved from Munster to Leinster 6/7 years ago - can we have Sexton in exchange - this is the reality of this move for Connacht

I don't blame McCarthy but it must be galling for Connacht to lose him, especially as they have really developd him into the player he now is and all of a sudden he makes the Ireland team and Leinster can just pick him up.

While Connacht are an inferior team, it is essentially proof that the IRFU view Ulster, Leinster and Munster as equals, and Connacht as beneath them. Either Connacht are equal or they are a development province - it can't work both ways. While it will always be difficult for Connacht tpo hold onto players if they have successful players, it shouldn't be a case that any of the other 3 can pick and choose their players when it suits

[LeRouxIsPHat]

It's hardly a case of Leinster saying they wanted him and the IRFU making sure it happens. Sure he turned us down last year. I would suspect that he's had a taste of top class international rugby and now knows that he can not only compete but actually stand out at that level and wants to push himself at club level too. He has a great chance to win trophies at Leinster that he just doesn't have at Connacht, I really can't see the issue. He's 31 and it's probably his last chance to move and try and compete for trophies.

[AdamK]

I'd say he just lost a bet, that's all.

[Donny B.]

Do people think that Leinster and Connacht were McCarthy's only options?
The form he's been in, I'm sure a few French and English clubs were probably sniffing around too, Biarritz for one. He left Connacht once before to go abroad and he could well have done so again if a move to Leinster was blocked by the IRFU. At least this way, Ireland get to keep the player under their control especially as he could well be a starting lock for the next couple of seasons.

[kendalgerty]

For those of you who haven't read the Connacht announcement here it is to marvel at its hypocrisy. Well done Connacht rugby! Despite being initially sympathetic I don't give a sh!t what you think about this any more you bunch of whiny hypocrites.

It may be harsh on Steel, but it's reasonably fair. If you look at the quote he complained about us signing McCarthy and the next paragraph crows about signing White, who Leinster wanted to offer a contract to but the IRFU wouldn't let us re-sign a NIQ tighthead. "So for the benefit of Irish rugby" they signed him. Hypocrisy.

Two ridiculous comments - yes Connacht have taken players from Leinster and Munster in the past, but none of these was first choice or even close to it. To compare White moving to Connacht with McCarthy moving from Connacht is just not the same thing. Stephen Keogh moved from Munster to Leinster 6/7 years ago - can we have Sexton in exchange - this is the reality of this move for Connacht

I don't blame McCarthy but it must be galling for Connacht to lose him, especially as they have really developd him into the player he now is and all of a sudden he makes the Ireland team and Leinster can just pick him up.

While Connacht are an inferior team, it is essentially proof that the IRFU view Ulster, Leinster and Munster as equals, and Connacht as beneath them. Either Connacht are equal or they are a development province - it can't work both ways. While it will always be difficult for Connacht tpo hold onto players if they have successful players, it shouldn't be a case that any of the other 3 can pick and choose their players when it suits

Haven't the IRFU explicitly stated that Connacht's role is that of a development province. Further proof that Connacht are not treated as being on the same level is hardly needed.

I think there's quite a bit of hysteria around the move. The simple fact of the matter is that McCarthy is out of contract at the end of the season. Connacht have no claim on him beyond that. Most of the arguments for him staying are those of a romantic viewpoint. Of course it's not good news for Connacht to lose the player, but that's the nature of sport.

[Flash Gordon]

Guys I think you have to keep a perspective on this, and may have a think about it from our side. Macca means a lot more to Connacht than just a decent player, and that is where the hurt is coming from. He has become part of the fabric of this team and one of it's leaders, I would equate the move as say BO'D moving from Leinster to Munster three or four seasons back, could you imagine the hurt seeing him come back to the RDS wearing Red.

From our side we see ourself making some progress after years of having IRFU under-investment and appointments (Bradley) foistered upon us holding back our progress and then bang our best player is gone. It's not just the player on the park we have to replace he is a stone cold legend out west.

There is no hypocrisy about the comments because Connacht have never tracked a senior Leinster player for recruitment, White was gone from Leinster (the Bent contract was in place before we signed him). There has been no Leinster first choice player who has moved across to Galway, they have been players either out of contract or who have moved away previously. Carr (Rock)/Keatley (Tarf) were playing before they came west, and Hagan baled from UCD before playing for them, Gannon was playing for Blackrock when he came to us first and we resigned him from Exeter.

The worst part of it is the timing in that we are in a really critical part of the season for us, this announcement could really kill the momentum form the win last Friday stone dead...

I’m not sure that case is proven mate. Connacht are definitely a team that can lift themselves and put in a performance but the league table never lies and they are currently languishing in 10th spot and unless an Irish team wins the European Cup this year, they likely won’t be playing European Cup rugby next. I don’t know that a victory against BO – a mid table team who can look, how shall I put this, a tad disinterested, really means. It’s a game people will celebrate and remember, but it wouldn’t convince me to change a structure.

I think we need to be fair to Connacht and cut out the ambiguity and call out their role clearly. Ultimately, the provinces were designed to serve team Ireland. That’s why the IRFU pays us and the pay back is the sacrifices we make – so in our case its player rotation and training camps for example. The role of the provinces has now moved on and the IRFU strat plan calls out international achievement and winning European/Rabo silverware as the objective of Ireland and the Provinces.

My personal opinion is that Connacht can never win the European Cup or the Rabo and its fairly doubtful in my mind that they could ever be a strong contributor to IRFU coffers. With this in mind, as it stands they don’t serve the strat plan objectives in terms of winning stuff as a team or make economic sense. Could they support the strat plan objectives for Ireland and the other provinces? Yes. The way the could do this is develop players to support Ireland and the provinces who have a realistic chance of winning silverware. That’s why I think the IRFU need to be clear that the role of Connacht is as a development province. And to be honest, I’ll bet they have done that to their management…..

As an aside, nobody is forcing McCarthy to move. If he says no, the move is off…….so its obviously what the player wants!

[ronk]

Feel free to blame Kidney, just saying. He gets away with so much shyte...

I feel for Connacht on this one, but the IRFU are clearly doing a lot to help them build up a squad, support base and infrastructure. There are steps forwards and backwards, and it's important not to lose focus when there's a backward step. Leinster have lost a lot of players to Connacht, but that's not really relevant here. We've also lost important players to elsewhere, the essential thing is that we kept moving forward. The IRFU will try and do something for Connacht over this one.

In the last number of years Leinster lost key players like Jennings, Cullen, Contepomi, Wright, White, Elsom and it looks like we're going to be losing van der Merwe at the end of the season. We've had a battle holding onto Isa. Connacht don't have NIQ quotas at all, they were given enough support from the IRFU that they were allowed match Leinster's offer for McCarthy.

[tones]

Guys I think you have to keep a perspective on this, and may have a think about it from our side. Macca means a lot more to Connacht than just a decent player, and that is where the hurt is coming from. He has become part of the fabric of this team and one of it's leaders, I would equate the move as say BO'D moving from Leinster to Munster three or four seasons back, could you imagine the hurt seeing him come back to the RDS wearing Red.

From our side we see ourself making some progress after years of having IRFU under-investment and appointments (Bradley) foistered upon us holding back our progress and then bang our best player is gone. It's not just the player on the park we have to replace he is a stone cold legend out west.

There is no hypocrisy about the comments because Connacht have never tracked a senior Leinster player for recruitment, White was gone from Leinster (the Bent contract was in place before we signed him). There has been no Leinster first choice player who has moved across to Galway, they have been players either out of contract or who have moved away previously. Carr (Rock)/Keatley (Tarf) were playing before they came west, and Hagan baled from UCD before playing for them, Gannon was playing for Blackrock when he came to us first and we resigned him from Exeter.

The worst part of it is the timing in that we are in a really critical part of the season for us, this announcement could really kill the momentum form the win last Friday stone dead...

Can I ask you, do you think McCarthy was staying on to renew his contract regardless of interest from Leinster or Munster?
You mention BOD, he never courted another province...he looked abroad.
There is no direct comparison of movement in the opposite direction. However, if Leinster had not provided countless Academy/reserve players nor won the Heineken Cup - what hope of keeping McCarthy would there be? Ignoring the fact there would be no development of Connacht anyway.

[enby]

Sears on RTE radio now

[Golf Man]

Haven't the IRFU explicitly stated that Connacht's role is that of a development province. Further proof that Connacht are not treated as being on the same level is hardly needed.

I think there's quite a bit of hysteria around the move. The simple fact of the matter is that McCarthy is out of contract at the end of the season. Connacht have no claim on him beyond that. Most of the arguments for him staying are those of a romantic viewpoint. Of course it's not good news for Connacht to lose the player, but that's the nature of sport.

Don't think they have been branded a development province although open to correction - Connacht certainly seem to be trying to improve and compete at a higher level on a consistent basis both on and off the playing field, which is kind of contrary to being a development province.

I don't think the arguement from Connacht is as simple as you make out - they don't seem to think they are a development province it seems that Leinster and Munster can watch Connacht develop players and then cherry pick the best for themselves. I think there should be more movement around teh provinces with certain players - but if Connacht are not there purely for development and are there on their own merits, then surely they should get some protection from the IRFU to enable them to develop and keep their players, rather than develop them and hand them over

[simonokeeffe]

McCarthy had one move left in his career probably and he moved to a province where he'll win things, you can't begrudge a player that, plus he gets to work with some top coaches. Was same deal fro Cronin. Not like he came through their academy or been there all his career
But he should have been given a central contract or moves put in place for one, be good luck for us he moves here and then gets central contract (Injured POC and Donners probably holding up central contracts)

From a Connacht perspective of course theyre not going to be happy but players move on/up eg Philpe, Stan

[Proudleinsterman]

Connacht currently offer zero chance of winning anything any time soon and for a player in his 30's this move was a no brainer. Connacht seem happy to try and restrict a top player from realising his potential and then blame everyone else for their own inability to offer a realistic chance to compete for silverware.
I am sure once McCarthy got the taste of the big time with Ireland there was no going back, playing against the best teams in front of big crowds has to be a drug, who wants to go back to playing in front of 3000 at a dog track.

Whilst it would have been nice for Connacht to keep him it would have been a sporting travesty for the player, to be so good and not have the chance to compete for silverware is just wrong.

[Dave Cahill]

We haven't signed a player from Connacht, we've pinched one that Munster wanted. Wait and see.

[CiaranIrl]

While I sympathise with Connacht, I don't see any wrong here. They're only been in the HEC because we won it a couple of time. He wants to win some silverware, and he wants to nail down his place in the Irish team. Can't fault that at all.

On the other hand, I hope the native Connacht lads stay with the province. McCarthy is from London, not the West. There is a decent clutch of lands coming through in Connacht, ands they could become the foundation for a period of growth. Hopefully they won't be of a mind to move.

[Amz]

We haven't signed a player from Connacht, we've pinched one that Munster wanted. Wait and see.

This would be my take on things too.

[Donny B.]

The worst part of it is the timing in that we are in a really critical part of the season for us, this announcement could really kill the momentum form the win last Friday stone dead...

Well who's fault is that except Tom Sears who's going on a national touring of whinging about the transfer while Leinster haven't said anything. Even if the deal is done, it would have kept til next week and the team could have concentrated on winning in Biarritz instead of playing the victim.