Rob Kearney: Could follow Jonny Sexton's lead
Ireland full-back Rob Kearney feels Jonathan Sexton's impending move to France could see several fellow internationals following him to the Top 14.
Sexton will leave Leinster at the end of the season after the Irish Rugby Football Union could not match an offer from a top French club, believed to be Racing Metro.
The Leinster pivot is set to join Racing after reportedly accepting a deal worth £640,000 per year.
And Kearney believes if Sexton does well in France several other Irish players might follow his lead.
"That's professional sport, it happens," he said.
"In Ireland we've probably been lucky over the years in that it's only now that a player has left. It will test the waters obviously.
"It could go very badly for him, it's impossible to say. Guys always talk about leaving and threatening to look for new experiences.
"France is one of the new experiences that players will generally pinpoint in looking for a change.
"Jonny's shown a lot of bravery. If it works out really well for him in that he's enjoying life and playing good rugby while earning more money, people will see that and it will open up a whole new ball park."
It was reported that Sexton was disappointed not to have been offered parity with Ireland's new skipper Jamie Heaslip.
"Jonny was upset by the whole thing, there's no point lying about it," revealed Kearney.
"He will probably tell you that he wanted to stay.
"It's unfortunate that whatever way the negotiations went on, he probably wanted to stay and play his rugby in Ireland.
"But you can't always get what you want."
Comments
mcdb06 says...
@melkdave
"I can see POC,and a few of the older players looking to finish their careers with a bumper couple of years wages,if therir offered.the chance."
Why would they when they get a 10 year tax return for ending their careers in Ireland?
You seem to have an opinion on most stories posted on this webstite without knowing the full facts. Jack of all trades, master of none.
Posted 13:42 30th January 2013
melkdave says...
I dont think any other of the younger irish players ,will be targets at present,but i can see POC,and a few of the older players looking to finish their careers with a bumper couple of years wages,if therir offered.the chance.
Posted 14:48 29th January 2013
mrjingles2 says...
IRFU offer was 500 K with leinster and irish contract.
Racing and irish contract 850 k -- over 3 years thats a significant difference.
@ Papachinzo ..if the IRFU ( Who still get his services ) had paid the high end money they would A ) have a lot of players like Kearney , O Brien , Zebo getting tapped up abroad and having to meet a deluge of high prices. B ) They would be spending less on grass roots rugby as a consequence.
This has been happening in NZ for years..This can actually help Ireland if they grasp the nettle and blood talent earlier while still having the calibre of player like Sexton to select...also Having thrown out a huge wage for Sexton it is highly unlikely Racing will overuse him and risk their investment.They will use him for the targeted and must win games
Posted 14:13 29th January 2013
jamesliveinhope says...
is this a challenge to the central contract system I wonder. Its fair to say that there are probably a fistful of Premiership clubs that are living well within their means as a result of the salary cap but, with England merely topping up the salaries of EPS players, they do not need to break any records in terms of salary payments to maintain a competetive financial edge and therefore keep EQ players in the English set up (unless of course they're in the international wilderness and need to "find themselves").
Posted 14:09 29th January 2013
damo says...
Heslip tried this and got a massive deal, Kearney did same, Healy I expect to a lesser extent, $exton is an excellent player but IRFU can't bankrupt themselves at the players expense, Heslip hasn't played a good game since although Kidney doesn't seem to be aware of this, Ireland players get the exec treatment here he'll have to work in France but will improve himself!!!
Madigan will step in, when Heslips contract runs out he may get a Pro D2 team with more money than they can handle and he will be useless for them also
Posted 13:38 29th January 2013
APV1 says...
@ JamieTheProp - Hear! Hear! It took me a while to accept and understand it, but now I'm pleased we don't pick overseas-based players. If you have international ambitions, stay at home and be considered. Simple concept.
Posted 13:03 29th January 2013
new_j4a says...
@DrDeath+PatrickH, BOD was the best in the world and is certainly up there with a dozen others as one of the best centers in the history of the game......but he is well over the hill now and in slow decline....I can't see anybody offering big money to recruit him....except as a backline coach where he would be worth his weight in gold.
Posted 12:10 29th January 2013
dodgyrog says...
can't believe Heaslip is better paid, can see irish players using this as a bargaining angle come contract time, however I don't see too many going to France as there is only a few clubs with such amounts of money. plus other than Sexton who else would they take at present other than Rob Kearney. France doesn't need to import any forwards as they get them cheaper from the southern hempishere.
Posted 10:05 29th January 2013
DrDeath says...
@new_j4a
how you interpret that as as being turned down is pretty remarkable.
Having seen a subsequent interview with BOD he laughed the whole episode off saying that some journalists had asked him and he mentioned that he still had his former coach's phone number. The whole (non)story blew up from there!
You and I both know there are few sides thatcouldn't be improved with BOD in the squad!
Posted 09:36 29th January 2013
PatrickH says...
@new_j4a, BOD tried to go to the Super 15? You're pretty good at reading between the lines if you come up with that from the Cheika article.
Posted 09:15 29th January 2013
new_j4a says...
@NHsaints who says "at the moment I don't think any of the other Irish backs are really top 14 big signing material (except BOD but he'll be a Leinsterman until he retires or so I suspect)" Rob Kearney is obviously good enough to make it into several S15 or T14 sides and I predict will be the next to go to France. As for the loyalty that you ascribe to BOD, are you forgetting that he tried to go to the S15 (to a bottom of the table team) and that they turned him down? To refresh your memory look here:
http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3824_8171442,00.html
Posted 06:58 29th January 2013
5Lock4ward says...
Again I ask what happened to these supposed self imposed limits on foreign players by the French clubs?
Posted 02:14 29th January 2013
Internationalxv says...
If he wanted to stay he could have. I'm sure there was nothing wrong with the IRFU offer.
Posted 01:00 29th January 2013
Dannyboy says...
I can understand Kearney saying that but the truth is the lads, in general, would prefer stay in Ireland. They get treated pretty well by the system here and are well aware they would be treated like mules in France. It's just the money thing and the IRFU being dicks about contract negotiations. I'm sure there will be more agents sniffing around now but can't see anything like the Welsh exodus. The provinces are more organised.
Posted 23:52 28th January 2013
Norm says...
God god, please dont tell me Sexton was viewed less valuable than Heaslip!
Posted 21:46 28th January 2013
Norm says...
God god, please dont tell me Sexton wasnt viewed as valuable as Heaslip!
Posted 21:46 28th January 2013
JamieTheProp says...
and this is why England won't select players who play outside of the Aviva Premiership!
At least we have a chance of keeping the best players at our clubs!
Posted 21:44 28th January 2013
damo says...
Fair play to $exton his game will only improve form this, IRFU to be commended, Madigan is going to be all the better from this and it will be for the good of Ireland
Posted 21:11 28th January 2013
king_red says...
"Upset"??? The poor little lamb, my heart bleeds for him.
Posted 20:57 28th January 2013
papachinzo says...
The IRFU have ruined Ireland and Now they are ruining Leinster...
The people have been calling for Deco's resignation for over a year now, and O'Sullivans for 3 years before him. The IRFU needs a shake up, with the addition of some fresh new blood in the top positions. Obviously it did the RFU the world of good, now its time Ireland did it !!
Sexton should not have left Ireland, Leinster had the budget to pay him.
Posted 20:51 28th January 2013