Leaving: Jonathan Sexton
Ireland fly-half Jonathan Sexton will leave Leinster at the end of the season, with Racing Métro his reported destination.
The in-form playmaker's future was confirmed on Friday in what is a shock move from the Irish international and probable B&I Lions starter.
"The Irish Rugby Football Union has been informed that Johnny Sexton will not be renewing his contract to remain playing full time in Ireland from the end of this season," said a statement from the IRFU.
"We are very disappointed, as we know the Irish rugby public will be, that Johnny Sexton will not be playing his rugby full time in Ireland from next season," said IRFU chief executive Phillip Browne.
"Johnny is a major talent and his full time presence in Ireland will be missed, particularly by Leinster.
"We wish Johnny continued success with his career and he will receive all the support he needs over the next number of weeks in what we know was a very difficult decision for him.
"While we remained in the fight right up until the last possible moment to keep Johnny in Ireland with a very strong offer, ultimately, following negotiations with the player's agent, we had no option but to take the decision that it would not be in the best interest of Irish rugby to chase the reported financial incentives being offered.
"The IRFU has made a commitment to, and been largely successful in, keeping as many Irish players as possible playing full time in Ireland. However, we have always recognised that some of our players will be targeted by overseas clubs with offers which, quite simply, are not within our orbit.
"While Johnny has made the decision to move on to a new club, the IRFU is fully committed, together with the provinces, to maintaining its programme of nurturing and retaining Irish rugby talent. We feel that the benefits of the careful and considered management of those players will allow us to maintain this policy."
Leinster coach Joe Schmidt added: "Naturally, I'm disappointed."
"I've really enjoyed Johnny's input over the last few years and he has added tremendous value to the Leinster environment both on and off the field. The offer he has received is exceptional, even by French standards, but I know that it was still a tough decision for him."
Comments
jockstrap says...
@Derrynane come back to me when the Irish provinces can't get out of the pool stages in the HC because all our best players are in France. That's exactly what's going to happen if Irish players realise that they can both play abroad and play for the International team.
Posted 14:39 25th January 2013
carpelone says...
Bad for Leinster, the way he used to play in a blue shirt has been memorable, so at ease and in control. Under DK, it is fair to say that he was never even close his club rugby level, to be honest. I would not be surprised that a factor pondered in his decision was the dualism with O'Gara, which DK didn't sorted out.
Posted 14:39 25th January 2013
APV1 says...
Well I guess that was the hard-bargaining everyone suspected. Did the IRFU really run out of money, or just call his bluff..?
I guess we'll never know and he's off to France.
Can Irish players based in France still get a call up for the national squad?
Doesn't it also do something weird to his Tax when he returns / retires..?
@ jockstrap - I agree with you. Whilst it's frustrating that S. Armitage et al are unable to play for England, it does mean we can keep those talented players with international ambitions in England.
@ papachinzo - other sites (Rugby Dump, for example) are suggesting Euro 750,000 per year.
@ craigsman - I wondered that too.
@ new_j4a - play nice, now.
Posted 14:31 25th January 2013
scrumdog says...
There is a need for salary caps brought into professional rugby to level the playing field. The French club's buying power is just going to ruin the sport.
Posted 14:27 25th January 2013
BackingLeinster says...
Bad for Leinster but maybe good for Ireland. Looking forward to what this will mean for Madigan. We need more fly halves playing reguraly. Hopefully Madigan and Jackson can go on to give Sexton good competition for the Ireland spot and we won't be so devastated by injuries in the future.
Leinster will be looking to strengthen the rest of the squad now. I'm hoping they can get McSharry back from Connacht and maybe get Shane Monahan back also. Its a pity Niall Morris signed another two year contrac with Leicester
Posted 14:26 25th January 2013
ironmanI441 says...
Just going to put this out there, but anybody on the odds of Ollie Barkley coming back to pull the strings at Bath as a mentor to George Ford (Tom Heathcote). Donald is leaving for Japan probably, Tom Heathcote will probably leave if George Ford comes to Bath, and Barkley might be sick of his European adventure as it has entailed a lot of riding the pine and I can't see him getting much time with Sexton in the squad. Also his contract was only an injury cover contract until this summer.
Posted 14:24 25th January 2013
froggy73 says...
Positive side for Ireland: Sexton will become even better playing on a different league and having to face Clermont, Toulouse or Toulon rather than Zebre or Scarlets. Big blow for Leinster though.
@ hhlamazing: the French government has just given up their plan to tax up to 75% so good news for Sexton, he won't have to get bent over with tax.
I am now waiting for Muppet Sincero's comments. He will somehow manage to refer to the WW2 I am sure :)
Posted 14:23 25th January 2013
deprop says...
Dammit. IRFU should have tied him down for years and years - why always only 2-3 year contracts ? Leinster will miss hom sooooooo much but we'll just have to get on with it. He might come back in 3 or 4 years as the best fly-half in the world. And on the plus side, I don't live far from Paris so if he does go to Racing, I'll adopt them as my second team and enjoy some Parisian hospitality.
Posted 14:16 25th January 2013
GCP_jones says...
And SO it begins,
@Melkdave... and his like minded posters
All you have to do to have your wish of an Anglo/French Cup sorry European Cup is wait a few more seasons and there will no other country in Europe who can deal with Englands Vast player number's and France's capless-salary-cap.
Sexton I wish you well, but I have to say you've made a bad choice of club.
Posted 14:02 25th January 2013
Derrynane says...
How stupid can you be jockstrap? The union have been faffing about with his contract all thru the summer and were waiting and waiting until he gave in. I am glad that someone has finally called their bluff. I hope he goes well in France and that we see him for years to come in the Ireland shirt.
Posted 13:58 25th January 2013
BODsGODmisspelt says...
750k apparently. Ill be watching racing games from now on.
Madigan will be starting most remaining Leinster games from now on. Hope it goes well for him and they don't buy in a foreigner
Posted 13:51 25th January 2013
leinster_goy says...
i'm waiting for somebody to wake me up and tell me it is just a bad dream......
to say i'm devastated by this is an understatement. i literally cannot believe this has happened. this guy IS Leinster Rugby. the soul is being ripped out of the club
Posted 13:48 25th January 2013
new_j4a says...
@sincero, please can you share your view (with as much detail as you can manage on the pain this is causing you)?
Posted 13:43 25th January 2013
mcdb06 says...
Hope Irish rugby doesnt start going the way of Wales and lose all their big players to big spending foreign clubs.
Posted 13:40 25th January 2013
99call says...
If he was using Racing as a way to up his IRFU deal thats backfired on him as you can only push so far, just hope he gets the right release clauses in his contract or he could find his Ireland career significantly shortened
So Racing have reported sign Sexton, Jamie Roberts, Dab Lydiate(not confirmed) Mujati, Tongauia amoung others looks like we've got another Toulon on our radar buying everyone and anyone they can
Posted 13:39 25th January 2013
craigsman says...
Olly Barkley must be scratching his head
Posted 13:37 25th January 2013
shrimps says...
i think this may be good for irish rugby overall, poor for them and leinster in the short term at least, they have great potential in madigan whose growth would always be limited with sexton being first choice. that said, it is a shame that the french teams can simply buy the stars from other teams. if Jonathan sexton can taken from leinster and ireland, it just shows they can get pretty much anyone they want. that is a damn shame for the rest of northern hemisphere rugby in particular.
Posted 13:37 25th January 2013
jamesliveinhope says...
not falling for this again.
Posted 13:36 25th January 2013
hhlamazing says...
heartbreaking news as a Leinster fan. Enjoy getting bent over with tax in France Johnny.
Posted 13:35 25th January 2013
froggy73 says...
Ooops I really didn't see that one coming after all what was said last week.
Message to Joe Schmidt: Toulouse have a spare number 10 to give away: Beauxis.
You can have him for free :)
Posted 13:34 25th January 2013