I reached the same conclusion. I think Heaslip to France and will be kept with Ireland until the World Cup were he will then retire internatinally/or be phased out.

Definitely good news. I've chatted about this a good few times with friends, and we came to the conclusion that France is not a good call for a player prone to injury, particularly a forward. Ronan O'Gara came out yesterday and said specifically that he didn't think it would suit O'Brien at this stage of his career. Heaslip should be let go because honestly I think Ireland has plenty of back row talent, and he will still be available to the national side regardless.

That is great news for Leinster & Ire.

I think SOB is a bit like Bull Hayes. He wanted to stay at home, but needed to be rewarded for his talent. Probably he could earn more abroad, but I think he would have met the IRFU half way.
My bet is that Jamie is different, plus older, he will and should go.

From Twitter:

The IRFU is pleased to confirm that @SeanOBrien1987 has signed a new IRFU contract to remain with @leinsterrugby full details later today

Fourdogs wrote:

ConnachtCows wrote: A slight rumor I heard yesterday. A bit of he said, she said. Someone I know, who happens to be a Leinster season ticket holder, despite been born in Connacht, works with a lady who is also a Leinster season ticket holder. Said lady, lives nextdoor to Jonny Sextons parents. <strong>Jonny's Dad has told her, that he is not enjoying France one bit</strong>.
Not really news, as you can see it on his face during Heineken Cup games, but you wonder if has told the other Irish lads what it is like

My heart bleeds for him. For Christ sake, he is a "professional" rugby player getting paid a fortune. Needs to grow a pair and stop crying that <strong>the bigger boys in school yard will not pass him the ball.</strong>

You seem to be very angry about something that's clearly hearsay FD...?

The problem with Racing is as highlighted though, except the bigger boys can't even win the ball to pass to him. I imagine every back in the Racing squad is equally as frustrated with the current state of things though, not Sexton alone.

For me the big red flag last summer was when they wasted an absolute fortune on buying in Tonga Uhia & Mujati from Saints, based on their reputations from three season ago. Those tow are a busted flush and didn't string together two decent back to back performances in a couple of years. Tonga Uhia was exposed during the RWC 2011 as simply PRL Poster Boy when he struggled to get into the Tonga side and when he did maange he was shown up on the pitch. He hasn't been the same player since.

Tonga Uhia in 10 matches has managed only 4 starts and 360 minutes rugby in all so far.
Mujati in 10 Matches has managed 5 starts and a massive 390 mins rugby...

In fact the rest of the high profile signings from last summer have only managed half a dozen games each as well, Lydiate, Roberts...

Sexton by comparison, 13 matches and 10 starts for nearly 900 mins rugby...

If as clearly seems to be the case he came having being promised one thing and despite him delivering (which despite the results he actually is) then he's entitled to wonder WTF is going on, he'll also have been recruited as a leader so voicing an opinion on the matter internally is well within his remit also..

FACECUTTR wrote: I can understand if he is not enjoying the switch. Racing are not going well in the league and are out of Europe. If they had qualified for the quarter finals and were in the top 4 of the league would he be saying different??

Certainly, there are plenty of variables that would go into a player's experience. Perhaps he'd be happier playing down south rather than in the Paris area. Maybe there's a team that would have suited his style better. If you just go for the money you run the risk of not enjoying your time there.

ConnachtCows wrote: A slight rumor I heard yesterday. A bit of he said, she said. Someone I know, who happens to be a Leinster season ticket holder, despite been born in Connacht, works with a lady who is also a Leinster season ticket holder. Said lady, lives nextdoor to Jonny Sextons parents. Jonny's Dad has told her, that he is not enjoying France one bit.
Not really news, as you can see it on his face during Heineken Cup games, but you wonder if has told the other Irish lads what it is like

My heart bleeds for him. For Christ sake, he is a "professional" rugby player getting paid a fortune. Needs to grow a pair and stop crying that the bigger boys in school yard will not pass him the ball.

I can understand if he is not enjoying the switch. Racing are not going well in the league and are out of Europe. If they had qualified for the quarter finals and were in the top 4 of the league would he be saying different??

I'd imagine Johnny has them well warned. I think Thornley had strongly hinted at something along those lines recently. But as you say: Clear as a day when you look at him playing.

That said, the talk of the package being offered to Heaslip and SOB seems to be over and above what the IRFU are able to do, never mind what they want to do. 500K with a much lower tax rate? You'd have to imagine that if some of the older lads have a few bob owed from the 'good' times and want to pump up a pension fund it might well be the way to go.

On an unreleated note: french top 14 gets 70m p.a.? The Rabo gets 5? I know there's going to be a differrence, but 14 times?!

A slight rumor I heard yesterday. A bit of he said, she said. Someone I know, who happens to be a Leinster season ticket holder, despite been born in Connacht, works with a lady who is also a Leinster season ticket holder. Said lady, lives nextdoor to Jonny Sextons parents. Jonny's Dad has told her, that he is not enjoying France one bit.
Not really news, as you can see it on his face during Heineken Cup games, but you wonder if has told the other Irish lads what it is like

I don't think many players will head off from Ireland until the latter stages of their careers.

I have read that this additional money will not make a huge difference to the current situation. It will just mean the clubs can afford to pay salaries etc from their own funding rather than their owners having to invest more of their own money.

Thus if Irish players want to go for financial reasons they would already done so before this deal.

We should take the NZ approach, keep investing in devloping players (an conveyor belt) and make it clear that players overseas will not be picked for the national team. If older guys go, it creates greater continuity, the risk is to lose some younger 'stars'.

Toby Flood is off to France so is dropped from the English panel. The RFU reserves the right to call up foreign-based players but generally do not do so.

The same applies for Ireland, the only foreign based players in the 6 nations squad are Sexton and the returning Copeland. I think we'll rapidly come to the point where a player overrates his worth to the national team, goes abroad and gets dropped, which will soften a few coughs. I don't think Heaslip or SOB but the likes of Earls, or Jackson say, would probably see their international career end if they went abroad.

RonanL wrote: Does this mean the french teams will be flush with cash, and ready to raid Britain and Ireland for our best players?

Does the English RFU still have a restriction in place which prevents players, not playing in England, from being selected for the National team. If it does then the next generation of Irish players will be even more of a target for the cash rich French.

Does this mean the french teams will be flush with cash, and ready to raid Britain and Ireland for our best players?

The last deal was reputed to be worth 30 million per annum. That's a huge increase! :ohmy:

LNR announce new 5 yr TV deal with Canal+ worth 71m pa.