Disappointed to say the least but I think we all knew he wasn't going to resign for us. Big mistake if he goes to Leinster. They see him as a 12. He's not going to displace their Crown Jewell Gary Ringrose. I think Joe has had an influence on Robbie's decision. Thinking the IRFU are missing a trick here as Bundee will be Irish qualified next year and they could build on their partnership until next year.

Best of luck to Robbie. I'll clap and cheer him off on his last game. He always gave his all for Connacht and is gentleman.
He is entitled to go wherever he pleases as he is out of contract and I respect that fully. I honestly (and hopefully objectively) think he is making a mistake.

Big loss to the connacht brand it's a pity he felt the need for the big bucks and bright lights early in his career, Won't boo him as its his life but will not keep a place in the heart for him either

Best of luck to him. Disappointed with the final outcome but glad this circus has come to an end. It was obvious from the statement 12 months or so ago from his father that one way or another playing for Leinster was his end goal. He has to do what is right for him difficult as it is to take. I don't bear any grudge towards him provided he is willing to do his damnedest when the 6 nations is over to ensure we finish the season strongly.

If you take the emotion out of it and look at it purely from the perspective of where he is likely to achieve success, Leinster's resources and ability to generate the revenue to attract big names does give him a better chance of winning trophies than at Connacht. Having said that while the Pro 12 remains winnable for Leinster, they won't be serious contenders in the Champions Cup anytime soon without significant additions to their squad.

Realistically our objectives are likely to be more limited most seasons unless we get significant investment and our crowds improve significantly.

Looking to next season, in the centre we have brought through Robb and Parata well this season and they'll get more chances next season. I'd expect both to continue their upward curve. Eoin Griffin is coming back also so we have depth at centre but we will obviously miss the extra bit of quality Robbie possesses especially in the big games.

Longer term in terms of what we are trying to achieve it is a kick in the teeth for the Connacht brand. In years gone by after interpros, the youngsters would always go to the big Munster, Leinster, Ulster names for autographs. In recent times though all the youngsters wanted to see was Robbie Henshaw. Every province needs a focal point and although John Muldoon has filled that void wonderfully for years, a key member of the national team holds significant weight in selling Connacht.

We really need to push the IRFU for a big name signing to give us a lift again preferably at 10. After Keatley, Cronin, Carr and Hagan left at once we replaced them with a lot of mediocre players and meant we went into our first Heineken Cup campaign with an average side. If we do qualify, the standard in the Champions Cup has moved on hugely in the last couple of years and we need to be able to put our best foot forward. If we don't strengthen we are going backwards and so far we have lost Robbie and Rodney with just Eoin Griffin coming in. The academy is doing great but there is only so much you can lean on it.

Really hope this can be just put to bed within the squad and we move on to take the opportunities that are presenting themselves in the league and Europe.

Very sad news today about Robbie leaving but Connacht rugby was not built on one player and we will survive this aswell.We have the best coach in the pro 12 and some brilliant young fellas comming through so the future looks bright for Connacht with or without Robbie.

Good riddance to Henshaw. No loyalty. And he's joining a poorly coached team on the cusp of some pretty lean years.

Must be hard for a guy like Muldoon to watch this unfold. I know Rodney is leaving too but his move is irrelevant / has minimal significance. Muldoon...a true Connacht stalwart, a man of character and long term commitment to Connacht. I presume Pat will play Robbie as often as possible once he returns from 6 nations but it must grate with him, perhaps some of the players too and at least a good few of the fans, including this one. I would actually support Pat if he decided to make Robbie a peripheral player from now on and focus all energy instead on the future players. Others will disagree but thats my view which I believe to be in the interests of the collective unit, win, lose or draw.

Glad it's over.

Disappointed that he couldn't see his future with Connacht or buy in to what we are trying to do here.

I hope he lives to regret it, I don't mean that in a nasty way or vindictive , but I hope we kick on here in such a way to make him feel that he made the wrong decision.

He's made his choice, he doesn't want to stay, we now move on and plan accordingly with those that do.

Nail on head Cows
Had he left over the summer with a Year left on his contract I'd understand the bad blood but he didn't
He won't play too much for us rest of season anyway due to the IRFU Player Welfare Programme but I expect him to give his all when he does- like he always has done..

This is a tough blow.
I've been expecting it all season, especially considering last year, there was talk of him getting out of his contract a year early.
All the best to Robbie. He's never caused us any trouble, and if he thinks that moving to Leinster is the best thing for him, well who are we to argue.

It's a huge shame for Connacht. I think most rugby people around the country wanted him to stay with us, even a lot of Leinster fans, as it would help develop the Connacht brand, but we'll survive, and continue to improve without him
Back in my soccer supporting days, I grew to get used to this carry on, and while it's never nice to see one of your best players leave, but teams survive, and sometimes these moves work out best for the party who are losing their asset.

I'm not going to wish him any bad blood, or boo him when he returns to the Sportsground in another teams colours. He's always given his best for us, and I suppose that's all that you can ask from one of your players. It's the life of a supporter of a Professional team. You soon come to realise that the team means more to you as a fan, than it does to the players. If he stabbed us in the back, or wasn't trying when he pulled on our jersey, then I might have reason to give him grief, but he hasn't done any of that.

All I can hope, is that we continue to grow as Connacht Rugby, and we give him reason to regret his decision.
I'm sure he will continue to give everything when he plays for us, and if he does that, I'll continue to cheer him on every time he wears our jersey

dobby wrote: It was his decision to leave Connacht. It is clear he rates personal success over loyalty. And while Robbie is today a fine player he wasn't always. Connacht stuck with him in the early days. As such Connacht earned some degree of loyalty in return. Not so it seems. If he wants to be gone then be gone

Fair to say RO'G aggrees, clearly not impressed with lack of loyalty or rationale for move (although cute enough to hope for Munster to be able to shaft Leinster prospective signing of Henshaw)....
www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2016/0214/767959-...t-end-of-the-season/

dobby wrote: And while Robbie is today a fine player he wasn't always. Connacht stuck with him in the early days.

I'm as annoyed as anyone but I'm sorry, that's nonsense. His potential was clear as day from the beginning when he made his debut for us while still in SECONDARY SCHOOL, and he has almost never had a bad game. You could argue that he would never have gotten a break so early at another province (esp Leinster) but that doesn't mean he was ever not an exceptional player. You could question his character, loyalty, and the wisdom of moving, but not that.

Personally I found his statement a bit hollow. Pat wishing him luck for Ireland but not his new team is also interesting.

It was his decision to leave Connacht. It is clear he rates personal success over loyalty. And while Robbie is today a fine player he wasn't always. Connacht stuck with him in the early days. As such Connacht earned some degree of loyalty in return. Not so it seems. If he wants to be gone then be gone

CountFurlo wrote: Im raging over this. Simply put wherever he plays next season he would be on a central contract so therefore not really about the cash.

In essence he has said he doesnt believe in the long term project here and believe Leinster's long term goal is better.

So, that's why I dont coach at anywhere close to this level, coz I'd never pick him again but I am petty & vindictive

From a Connacht perspective it's almost a triple kick in the nuts....

Being centrally contracted would free up budget for Connacht to recruit more depth when away on International duty or being rested afterward.

Marketability wise we lose a home developed player whose immediate futrure will see him become the next Connacht Lion (albeit from wearing a Leinster Jersey). That alone would add €€€€€ to Connacht's (and his) marketing value and our recruitment potential, (if he was staying).

Really hope Leinster get groups of death every season for next four/five years.

On the upside at least due to Ireland commitments we probably won't see him line up against us too often over next few seasons

Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion but my own is certainly not that he deserves our thanks and well wishes.

I do agree we need to move on immediately though. We're joint top of the league, playing great rugby, with loads of exciting talented young players and have a European quarter-final coming up. The positives far outweigh the negatives. This is our best ever season and no one player, who has played very little for us, should disrupt that.

I wish him the best, the difference between Connacht now under Pat Lam is the emphasis is on the collective not the individuals, when you look at Leinster it's always been about the big players and personalities, so I can see him fitting in at Leinster, in reality our progress this year has been largely without Robbie, of course he would have been a big asset next year however I trust Pat Lam will make the changes and empower the current players in believing as a team we succeed.

We know the vast majority of players enjoy their life and rugby in the west, we can only hope the next big star sees it differently to Henshaw.