I hope there are no bad feelings towards Macca (and from reading the thread, there doesnt look to be).
He turned down Leinster two years ago to stay with us, and has always given it everything.

It feels like a kick in the balls right now.
I'm glad that Sears has come out with the press release. It closes the story. There will be no talk of whether he has actually signed anything or not.

There are a couple of points here:

1) Macca - Legend. He gave his all for Connacht and I know that he would not have made the move lightly. Don't have any problem with his move.

2) Timing - Right before this incredibly crucial game for us? It was almost definitely leaked. The person who went to the press with it should be ashamed.

3) IRFU - If a province in Ireland wants to hold onto a player at the same rate as another province is offering then why does the IRFU allow a move? This only happens with Connacht, and it definitely sends a message saying that Connacht are not an equal.

4) Central Contracts - The IRFU have never awarded a central contract to a Connacht player. This was a prime opportunity for them to put that record straight. Instead it strengthens the bias against Connacht when players are thinking about their future careers come contract renewal.

5) The Good of Irish Rugby - Leinster are a strong team, with a huge support base and the income to target any number of stop-gap players. Their inability to recognise and correct for their lack of quality in the second row is their problem and one that they could fix by shedding some of their excess baggage and putting a 2nd row to the top of their shopping list (or is this a problem because of NIQ status?). Instead they remove one of the biggest attractions that Connacht Rugby (a team already struggling to build support) have.
Had Macca stayed on a central contract, we could point him out to younger players and potential signings and say "look, Macca has had a load of HEC rugby the last couple of years, is on a central contract and is starting regularly for the Irish XV". It would have been a proof-point that Connacht is progressing and it should have acted as a beacon for others. Instead people will look at Macca and think that it is impossible to gain a higher level of recognition while in Connacht. It sends a clear message that if you want to progress your career, you cannot do it at Connacht.

I would imagine that if we do sign Cronin that he will fall further behind in the hooker rankings and will not have a central contract.

Ah, but KM is like Marshall in Ulster - a quick 9 with a snappy pass and an eye for the break.

Kidney hates that stuff.....

how many caps does macca have 7/8? i think that was the same as cronin when he left.
will wilko leave if he gets 5 more? fingers crossed dave mcsharry and KM never get capped if it means we'll lose them.

Droptheclaw wrote: How long is he contracted for, Creedence?

Further up the thread it was said that that he is probably up at the end of this season, but no one seems to know for sure

How long is he contracted for, Creedence?

Not unexpected but not very easy to deal with at the same time and whatever way you look at it, it leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Don't begrudge Macca anything and he owes us nothing but as Diom alluded to it does not happen with the other provinces so why is it allowed to happen to us? Could have done with Gerry confirming it next week after the biggest game in our history? But i guess if it helps Leinster get up for their game this week then that is a bonus!!!

Maybe I am being overly soft but the translation of the Biarritz song everyone was singing over the weekend seems to be quite appropriate here.

"THE BIRD WHICH IS A BIRD

IF I HAD CUT THE WINGS TO HER
SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN MINE
SHE WOULD NOT FLEE
BUT,THUS
SHE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ANYMORE A BIRD
AND ME...IT'S THE BIRD WHICH I LOVED"

Makes it all the more important that they manage to keep George next season.

I'm just after reading the article and am gutted. McCarthy, more power to him, has been fantastic for us; good luck to him with Leinster. He's probably been our best player over the past year or so, so it's a wrench to see Leinster have him away. It doesn't make Connacht's lives any easier, does it?
The manner in which our best are whisked up to the capital, half the time to be sitting on the bench, doesn't leave a nice taste in the mouth. I hope the boy Qualter can step up....I'm also hoping Eben Etzebeth is a big fan of Galway :whistle:

www.connachtrugby.ie/2012121283125/mccar...leave-connacht-rugby

Tom Sears is not ahappy man with Leinster.

Tom Sears explained “We have been aware of Leinster’s interest in Mike for some time. It is disappointing they have persistently targeted Connacht players in recent years, particularly when often not in the best interest of Irish Rugby.”

Darragh507 wrote: Really shows you that rugby is gone the way of a lot of pro team sports. No real tribal loyalty anymore.

As someone said on another thread, its funny the way the only ones that are expected to show loyalty are the good players. We can't wait to see the treacherous side of the bad ones.

Benji wrote: Spot on, Id love to know did he get a central contract.

I'd be amazed if a 31yo with a handful of caps got a central contract right now when POC's future is far from clear and a bunch of new locks are coming through. Central contracts are used to our key players in Ireland. There was never any suggestion of him going abroad, and I can't see how the IRFU would lose too much sleep if he announced he was going to the Premiership.

We beat Leinster and a few days later Eric says he's leaving. We beat Biarritz and and Mike Mc announces he's leaving too. I hope Munster hammer us.

I'm disappointed, no point in pretending otherwise, but I suspect we've got the best out of him, and he has been my top player for the past few years. Best of luck to him - I hope it works out for him and he gets the silverware he deserves.

Spot on, Id love to know did he get a central contract.

First of all, I'd like to wish Mike all the best, he's given Connacht Rugby everything he had for a long number of years now and, as has been said elsewhere, at this stage of his career he's entitled to be ambitious and look to winning silverware and international acclaim.

However, the fact is this does NOT happen among the other provinces, when is the last time one of them lost a top player to another? This was a chance for the IRFU to intervene and show that a Connacht player is just as viable to play for Ireland and be on a central contract as anyone else. The message it sends out is awful, and hugely demoralising. One wonders if the incoming performance director would have allowed such a move? Its hard to be optimistic.

Really shows you that rugby is gone the way of a lot of pro team sports. No real tribal loyalty anymore.

Id like to see damian browne come home and perhaps see what a pairing the brothers might make.

We have a good few young locks to work with.

Lets face it we are weaker elsewhere i think.

I guess he had to go but im still gutted.