rossie wrote: It's being reported this morning that leinster ceo mick Dawson has arranged private funding to top up cian healys central contract offer from irfu. I think we will find that this happened in the robbie debacle too but it's too controversial to state atm.

These guys just aren't playing by the same rules as the rest of us.

This is looking more and more like Saracens in England. There has to be more transparency: who is doing the top ups? the person mentioned in these articles has been mentioned.
www.theguardian.com/media/denis-o-brien

I agree with all here that say that Robbie Henshaw is making a mistake. He had a chance of leaving one hell of a legacy in the development of Connacht and getting young persons involved (and maybe helping to get better stadium etc). As I see it, he has chosen money and the opportunities (real or imagined) to get better sponsorship money in Dublin. His school (Marist) facilities were developed by Connacht Rugby; the Buccaneers are part of Connacht Rugby; his family live on both sides of the Shannon. The idea that he had pictures of Leinster players on the wall of his bedroom (from some Leinster supporters) are part of the discourse of Dublin and make him look bad (silly and bumpkin like).

The IRFU need to get their act together and realise that if they want to take the giant share of the available revenue in the Irish market (GAA and Soccer are not competing; soccer in their competitors takes the giant share so they have a somewhat privileged position in Ireland), then they cannot just assume that there are passive hordes beyond a narrow Dublin elite. Additionally, the IRFU get a significant share of their revenue from the Six Nations (last annual report they got revenue equivalent to 6 times the yield of the Irish market). Currently, the market for this tournament is greater that the sum of the individual parts. That, of course, may change down the road. The IRFU could have matched any offer by Leinster and they would have more credibility about their goal of widening participation in rugby.

The more I look at this, the difference between Leinster and Saracens is that Saracens might be more transparent. That would be one hell of a level to reach.

I have followed and loved rugby all my life, but can't help but feel the game in this country is doomed to being forever mediocre.

Too much has already been said about the Henshaw move. I genuinely don't really blame anyone in this situation. It is what it is. But that is the problem, that it is what it is. Leinster will be truly content and largely smug. Connacht will be sore and hurt. The other provinces will be both jealous and sympathetic.

I do believe that David Nucifora has good intentions for the game in this country and by that, also good intentions for Connacht rugby. There was an important message in Pat Lam's comments about this whole saga that Connacht were very happy with the support from the IRFU. I do truly believe they did what they could.

Doesn't make it any less painful however. But for me, it says a lot about the game in this country. There is a tremendous psychological problem with the game. Perception is crippling potential.

Perception plays a central role in events like Henshaw moving to Leinster or good players who are 2nd, 3rd, even 4th choice for their home province afraid to move anywhere else, because they crave the comfort zone and the perception of how successful they feel they are there already.

It has happened for years at the other provinces. There is a real cosy comfort zone for vast numbers of potentially wonderful players.

The other aspect that upsets me is the ultra conservative approach to the international game in this country. We are gripped by complete fear of being anything other than conservative at the international level.

One can only imagine what New Zealand or Argentina would have thought after watching the first two Ireland games this year. Have they stopped laughing yet? Perhaps not.

So for me, the game in this country is having a complete identity crisis at club, pro and international levels.

Perception and fear are crippling it.

I think it will be 10 years before we see the benefits of Nucifora's no doubt difficult and thankless work ahead. That is if he can break through the sheer bloody mindedness and resistance to change.

I have never felt more despondent for the state of the game in this country and you overlay that with the impact of topics like concussion and the images of a prone Sexton or Mike McCarthy unable to get up off the ground and it makes me very sad.

todays indo

www.independent.ie/sport/off-the-ball/ro...-heart-34460151.html

The more information that comes out about the Robbie stuff the more offensive it gets. Folks say the IRFUs hands were tied. If the lad has to go then he goes. That's fine and Ihope he enjoys his holidays in the Maldives with his cohorts. But the central contract is a disgrace so Connacht get nothing. Is there any reason that Robbie's current provincial contract could not have been adjusted to a central contract which frees up the money that Robbie is being paid. Then Robbie signs for Leinster 5 minutes later. Now at least Connacht havnt been totally shafted. And it isn't that the IRFU don't have money. The money touted for cian Healy who today wouldn't start in a Leinster shirt is disgusting. This whole situation reeks to high hell

A couple of thoughts - When McCarthy left the branch made a hell of a lot more noise about it which had two effects, it brought together the faithful even more and the support the rest of that season was fantastic and put the IRFU under pressure to do something which they did by allowing us to have more NIQ/project players - remember we brought in Clarke and Heenan on the back of it. For me things have been far too quiet and amicable, we have had our pants pulled down again yet no-one is giving out about it, maybe we do need Sears back to stir things up!! C'mon Wiliie, grow a pair!

Secondly if Robbie is happy to jump ship to be coached by Leo instead of remaining under Pat that makes me worry. If money isn't a factor which it doesn't seem to be then where you play, who you play under and who you play with all come into it and it doesn't say anything very positive about what Robbie thinks of Pat and what's in place or planned.

Jack's skill and general gameplay is very good and has massive. massive potential to get even better but it's undeniable that place-kicking has been an issue for us since the end of Dan Parks first season here. Not just from Jack, but Craig, Leader, Porter, and all the rest who've stepped up, out-half or not. Every top, successful team has a kicker who can consistently keep the scoreboard ticking over. If that's our ambition we need one too.

clan clover wrote: Think of how many points we would have on the table now if we had any sort of semi decent out half this year

I think that's a bit disrespectfull towards Carty, he's been largely at the helm for us all-season and has made a major contribution to where we have got this season. He may not be top class but he is certainly has enough class to be our primary out-half. I mean there are not many top class out-halfs avaialble out there and I doubt there are any that would want to move to the west of ireland, some people thought we should have made an offer to Madigan, ok he may be a better points kicker than Carty but in other aspects of out-half play over this season Carty has done very well in my opinion. obviously he needs the buffer of Ronasldson as the kicker. I don't know why we get so hung up over the out-half having to be the points kicker, I can't remember exactly which game it was but one of the away games in Wales this season where we under major pressure and Carty put in a lovely relieving kick in behind their defence and we stole the lineout and scored.

Of course they are Rossie. From Schmidt dictating the composition of Irish squads ad nauseam to include the likes of the Gender Fluid Kearndashians and Heaslip, to picking Fergus McFadden..................Fergus McFadden FFS....to bench against France before the likes of McCloskey, Gilroy, or our own Matt Healy, to the column inches given to the increasingly demented and biased ramblings of O'Driscoll, to the sycophancy of Thornley et al.

What next Leo the Lamb Cullen to coach the Lions??

I'm not comparing Robbie to Mike McCarthy, but...

When it was announced that McCarthy was moving to Leinster, there was uproar as well. We came out the better for it in the long run, and I just hope something similar happens from the Henshaw move.

Anyway, I'm moving on from this. Nothing can be done now. I'd continue to play Robbie every week that he is available.
If in his first game back for us, it is obvious that he's not trying, then drop him for the rest of the season, but he has given no evidence to make us think this will happen

We want to finish in the top 4, and to do that, we need our best players.
I hating using soccer as a comparison, but I remember (vaguely) the situation when David Beckham announced he was leaving Real Madrid for LA Galaxy. He was dropped by the coach for months. He kept training hard, and eventually, he was brought back into the team, and I believe he played a huge part in Madrid winning the league that season.
If Henshaw can help us reach our goals this season, then he should play. I'd like to see him celebrate, with a look of regret in his eyes, when we're lifting the Challenge Cup in Lyon, and the Pro12 in Edinburgh in May

It's being reported this morning that leinster ceo mick Dawson has arranged private funding to top up cian healys central contract offer from irfu. I think we will find that this happened in the robbie debacle too but it's too controversial to state atm.

These guys just aren't playing by the same rules as the rest of us.

His head was turned by the Leinster Girls in the Irish camp, this is where you have to respect Ian Madigan and what he has done by leaving Leinster. Leinster will not get to the top in Europe again and certainly will not get anywhere with Cullen in charge.
But we must move on, and hope upon hope that Willie and the IRFU are searching the globe for a good out half. The young lad Robb looks a decent player, and If he stays injury free can achieve big things. Think of how many points we would have on the table now if we had any sort of semi decent out half this year. We would certainly have a good buffer at the top. Henshaw is gone lets forget about him and as I said hope we get someone in that is able to kick a football.

Ps Brian O Driscoll is a tool and has been for years, he confirmed with his last Lions tour where he went into meltdown because a better player was picked ahead of him.

CONN8 wrote: The home match versus Leinster on Saturday the 26th of March looks like it will be very interesting.

If you're Lam do you play Henshaw if he's available?

On one hand for a big game you need everyone pulling in the same direction working towards a common goal, Connacht doing well in this game is effectively against Robbie's long term benefit now. On the other hand you'd hope he could be professional about and give his best, which he has always done thus far.

The home match versus Leinster on Saturday the 26th of March looks like it will be very interesting.

goconn wrote: We need a chant to a catchy tune to voice our support for those players and staff that want to be here. Not anti Robbie but rather pro all others that want to stay at Connacht. I loved the one liner earlier on this thread that was written about Mul.

Any ideas for a suitable chant that we can shout out on the 27th versus Ospreys ? It could become our new theme verse.

The tried and trusted "Coooonnnnnnaaacht" covers it
Henshaw is a Connacht player until end of season

JohnD wrote: As a Leinster fan I actually feel really bad for you guys, I remember BOD courting the French and preparing for him to go and it wasnt a nice feeling.

Only thing I would say is realistically looking at your underage profiles within the international squads and past history of producing players. The reality is you are not going to end up in the business end of the Heineken cup unless you are given a blank cheque book and this is clearly where he wants to be.
Be that for sporting or money making ambitions I dont know.

Now Leinster may not ever make another final ever, but we have a pretty good record in it and if you were a betting man the smart money goes on Leinster going further in it over the next 10 years.

I think some of the reactions are pretty ott.

Just as the thread was running out of momentum, a prod to kickstart it again! There is no denying that there is more chance of silverware at Leinster. Logic would dictate that a province with 5 times the population of the other, higher incomes, a suitable stadium, multiple schools feeding in to the academy, dozens of AIL top level clubs, internationals galore, greater rugby playing numbers and tradition etc etc will achieve greater success.

Short/Medium term the Pro 12 is the only realistic silverware on offer to Leinster but longer term if Leinster keep their structures in order they could be back in contention in years to come. It is to some extent dependent on how fundamentally the landscape of European Rugby changes in the next few years. Will there be a Pro 12 in a few years? Will the money being tossed around result in massive changes in the setup of European club rugby? I'd imagine it will take until Robbie's next contract with Leinster before they are at the very top table again. Short term Leinster have multiple issues to solve before they contend again.

At the end of the day its the players own choice and best of luck to him, it would have been a massive boost for us if he stayed and at the moment it does feel like a kick in the balls but the vibes coming from his camp all along were that he wanted to move.

It's done and dusted and we need to move on. The only thing that is bothering me regarding Connacht at this stage is the upcoming league games.

Reading BOD's tweets on the whole saga, I have to say he comes across as an @ssh*le, I was going to respond to him but it's a pointless exercise. Personally I find it really distasteful about how he has continuously used in position as the "Irish rugby messiah" to influence Robbie, and seems unashamedly proud about it. Regardless of whether he's admit it or not, he would never have tried that with a player from any other province. As for JohnD, why bother coming on here saying I feel sorry for you guys but then proceed to stick the boot in?

To be honest,I'm sick of the whole goddamn thing now, thanks Robbie, and off with you. It's a professional game and he has a right to choose where he plays. But it doesn't matter which way you look at it,the prevailing feeling is that Connacht have been properly shafted here.

Onwards and upwards my friends, let's just remember that what we've achieved so far this season has been done without Robbie being available, we have plenty of class available.

Connacht go deo!!!