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.

Here is a list of things:

(1) Playing Robbie at 12, outside Cathal Marsh, coached by Leo Cullen, is not going to get Leinster to the business end of the Champion's Cup, or improve Robbie's game. (I'm not a doctor but, yes, outside Cathal Marsh)

(2) Our recent history of producing players isn't all that bad and is significantly better than that of Munster. It's only a matter of time before you're telling us that academy graduates such as Buckley, Marmion, Conan, SOB II, Connolly, Parata, Masterson, Ultan, must move on because our academy is rubbish....just like you've just done with academy graduate Robbie Henshaw. Haven't heard of some of them yet? You will.

(3) Nobody's asking for a blank cheque (well I'm not anyway) . However, any claim that Connacht are a charity case needs to be viewed in light of the IRFU's funding of the massive white elephant that is Thomand Park. And any claim that Connacht have been placed on a even footing with the other provinces has to viewed in light of the fact that we have no centrally contracted player, which would be a huge financial boost for us. We finally produced one, and he's moved to Leinster.

(4) And finally, yes it's clear that this decision was entirely Robbie's, and it appears that the IRFU did a lot to try to keep him in Connacht (maybe they appreciate the marketability of a home grown Connacht based superstar). But as a 21 year old his head was first turned by senior players in the Irish System. BOD is crowing about this on twitter right now. This was followed up by all sorts of offers and inducements from not just Leinster, but Munster, and presumably Ulster. This is unprecedented and would not have happened to a player of his stature produced by any other province.

But we live in an age of Spivdom. And As It Is Spiv, So Also As Spiv Is It Unto You,

[end of list of things]

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.

You have failed to get out of your group for 2 years in a row and just took one of the biggest beatings by an Irish team in the history of the competition. Your pack is unmotivated, injury prone and getting older by the day, your 2 scrum halves are imports and in their mid thirties and jonnie may be finished at any time given the bashing he has been taking. When bod, Dorce, girv and the boys were in their element you couldn't crack an egg but you reckon all is ok in laydee land and you will be knocking on the door this time next year! Lol.

Would love to know your reaction if Leinster had lost O'Driscoll to Munster in 05

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.

Ahhhh sympathy from a smug Leinster fan, just need a Munster fan in here to somehow make this all about Paul O'Connell and/or Declan Kidney to make the full house :lol:

Edit: his point about being OTT is probably right though

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.

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.

Of course the reactions are over the top. We're discussing professional sport like it matters on the internet.

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.

Accidentally Onside wrote: Tough to see myself renewing the season ticket at this point, may as well just throw a few quid to the Leinster branch and cut out the middle man.

I'll be taking the opposite approach. I'll definitely be renewing my season ticket but I don't think I'll be paying to see Robbie singing about the four proud provinces of Ireland whilst trying to flog me Three/Guinness/Aer Lingus/Denis O'Brien/one of his other brand partners.

Being entirely crass and unromantic about this (this is professional sport after all):

With a central contract on the table either way, it's surely these lucrative endorsements that people are talking about when they say it's a "short career", and "has to think about himself" , etc.? I'm sure Dricco, Heaslip and the Kearney's have told him all about them. (Check out Robbie's Twitter feed).

But, I think it's possible that he and his (apparently entirely amateur?) advisers might have underestimated the potential market for a home grown superstar based in Connacht.

We're not a big market, but being the face of the plucky underdogs playing attractive rugby and succeeding against the odds, in a (n admittedly pretty rubbish) stadium you can see developing in front of your eyes, would have played well around the island, and maybe even outside it. We're everybody's second team (or at least we will be until we actually win something).

Is Robbie Henshaw in a Leinster jersey as marketable? What makes him stand out from the crowd? Sean O'Brien (the First) is Farmer Spice, Heaslip is Hipster Spice, Cian Healy is I'm overcompensating for something Spice. Is there a gap in the market for Well technically I'm from Leinster Spice?

Paul O'Connell was Mr. Munster. Brian O'Driscoll was Mr. Leinster.

Dougie Howlett and Isa Nacewa, for all their talents never flogged half as much sugary energy drink as them.

Of course maybe I haven't a clue what I'm talking about, and the average Irish consumer doesn't care about any of this.

Actually, yeah, that's probably more likely.

Anyway, yeah....I live in Dublin but I'll definitely be renewing my season ticket.

So its all decided,and Robbie is going blueI.I'm not surprised as he wanted to leave last year but was prevented due to his contract.When he joined Connacht back in 2012 we were a team with heart and spirit but no glory.Over the previous few years glory was usually in a Red or Blue jersey.Now let's not kid ourselves,but we looked on in envy,and more often or not in H Cup finals roared on for our neighbour; now from the perspective of a young lad ,like Robbie,he wanted to be part of it.A dream of glory not in a green of Connacht but more than likely Blue.He's following his dream and once it became apparent he had special talent he was told "son,you can pick where you want to play" and his dream was becoming a reality.Connacht made him,but as usual we were a stepping stone for " greater things".Loyalty to the team that made you doesn't come into it.He's chasing a dream held by many aspiring young players but his has come much sooner to him than many of his peers.
However to say he will be better served leaving us is rubbish.The proof is in Connacht; we are The Team with first class coaches,a team with a small budget but gets raw talent and refines them to Henshaw levels.A team that cares for and nurtures its local talent and those from beyond the province.
Its a shame he's leaving....he'll do well wherever he goes,but its sickening its to Leinster...they've a smug enough fan base...thus will make them even more smug.
Good luck Robbie....and don't forget your roots.

DaveN wrote: we're past being a feeder club for the other province's.

What's just happened it basically the definition of being a feeder club

There has to be a case for pushing the IRFU towards giving Connacht equal funding to the other province's. It could go some way in helping convincing players, management and supporters that they are serious about having 4 strong provinces and make Connacht a more desirable club to play for. The fact that we're top of the table and are winning against the some of the best teams in the league demonstrates that we're deserving of the funding and if we are to continue growing our squad and fan base, we need improved facilities. With 5 player's in the Irish squad, we're past being a feeder club for the other province's. The IRFU owe us this much after the whole Robbie fiasco.

Murray kinsella confirming it's a central contract has been the real sickener for me it's basically a statement from the irfu that living off scraps from the table is not just our lot now but for always. I really envy the positivity of others here, but I can't see how this would galvanise the team. Robbie is either saying:
A) he doesn't think there is any future in Connacht
Or
he doesn't care
And I'm not sure which is worse but I know if I was a player sat across from him I'd be thinking 'there's the benchmark, even the home grown players don't want to be here so why should anyone else'.

Like most of us here I've spent years turning up with a better than average chance of seeing us beaten out the gate, that's something you can do when you can hope for better times a head, taking that hope away is demoralising and that's what this move has done. If players move when we're doing poorly you can understand it, but if they move when we're doing well it's a clear sign that the players don't believe in the club....so why should we fans. What's it all for if all you can hope for is scraping the bottom of the barrel looking for gems only to have them taken away by those that don't really need them anyway.

Tough to see myself renewing the season ticket at this point, may as well just throw a few quid to the Leinster branch and cut out the middle man.

Well said Shelflife.

I was hoping Tom Sears was going to make a guest appearance on the Craggy Island Rugby Podcast this week and give it both barrels!

Now would be a really good time for Messrs Nucifora & Ruane to sit down with Mr Aki and offer him a healthy 2 year extension to his contract.

In reality I'd settle for not having to worry too much longer about the remaining players out of contract at the end of this term.

I suppose this means we will be able to keep a hold onto all our other young emerging future internationals, at least until they get a central contract. Then one of the other provinces can have them. Who is next Dillane, Marmion, Buckley.
If Pat sees his best players leaving what will motivate him to stay. That's my last pennyworth on the subject, time to move on.

Take a look at Leicester soccer team.A good manager, a bunch of individuals that have pride in their team. Amazing what can be achieved. I can only see the Robbie move as galvanizing both Connacht team and supporters. The ability is already there. Now its got a bit more of a focus after this debacle.

Thank god its all out now. I think it will be hard on him when he goes home. He will be remembered as the lad that left connacht instead of the lad that joined leinster. But he is human like us all and has a family and this is only a sport afterall. This move has been happening in slow motion for two years now and it has been exhausting. Its hard to take but lets just wish him well and move on. Hopefully we get some key games out of him after the 6N.