Gerry has always been a sycophant for Munster Rugby.
Produce the players and get central contracts.
Henshaw is a valid point as he was produced elsewhere but itās not like Munster and Connacht havenāt had extra funds thrown at them.
It just shows the legacy issues with the Munster Academy. Every other Leinster centrally contracted came through their system.
I donāt disagree. Iāve never complained about the point. Nor have munster. You get their wages paid but lose control over them for lots of the season. Itās not a massive advantage to have too many central contracts
Not yet.
Fairly short term thinking by the IRFU. He is currently our best lock and has been since OāConnell retired. He has missed a lot of rugby in the last few years through injury so should still have a good few miles left on the clock, particularly given his position so will probably still be playing by the next World Cup injury permitting.
Or, why give an injury prone 33 year old a big money contract ?
Thereās that angle too although it was one big injury he had which seems to be cleared up now.
Heās missed a lot of time through injury but was pretty much all the same injury. He is durable enough. But yeah thatās definitely the thinking behind the decision and hard to argue with it. Iād say IRFU just have looked at it and said he wonāt be starting come next WC letās not blow the bank.
Itās actually the opposite of short term thinking. Short termism would just cough up and create a new precedent for themselves
Agreed, no point upsetting the long term project of replacing Irish Rugby players with second string South Africans.
Maybe short term thinking was the wrong phrase. I just think itās wrong. He is the best lock in Ireland at the moment. Theyāve already set the precedent by giving Heaslip a new contract though.
I wonder who they think will be starting?
Henderson and one other.
Toner is 2 years younger than Ryan and was by some distance the form lock over last few seasons.
Dillane is very young as well.
Irish U20 capt from last season James Ryan is probably the best forward prospect across all provinces. Heās been injured but when he gets into the Leinster team he will be hard to dislodge. He is phenomenal and if stays fit could be a hundred cap player.
Or on the other hand he could be shite.
Or on the other hand he could be hit by a bus. You can keep going around in that circle but someone needs to make a call as to the most likely expected outcome at some stage
Henderson has yet to impress me in an Ireland jersey in the 2nd row, his try the last day aside. Donnacha Ryan is a better player than Toner imo. Dillane looks class alright. James Ryan is returning from a serious injury and has yet to establish himself for Leinster never mind talking about him starting in a world cup. If Munster were putting up ā¬300k to keep Ryan, how much would the IRFU had to stump up? If Racing are ā¬100k more then probably ā¬50-60k wouldāve kept him. Unless he really wants to play abroad in which case, best of luck to him.
Exactly. Toner is shite. Henderson and Fullane have strong potential but already have poor injury profiles. And you have a 20 year old who may or may not make it. Not a lot of depth there. Hence why Ryan should have been kept.
The 300 did include some top up from IRFU I think
Toner isnāt shite. Both himself and Henderson have central contracts already which Iād say further limited the IRFU willingness to put hand in pocket for a third 2nd row.
Iād love to keep Ryan and agree heās our form 2nd row at the moment. But I can see the other side of the argument too. If they matched the 400k heās be close to best paid player in country. Is he worth that?
Setting a fair precedent for next player who comes along if you match that wage.
Edit: I named the options closest to top of pile. Quin Roux also there, Tadgh Beirne not far off Scarlets player of season and Iād love to see him coming into Munster if Ryan left. One of other provinces should snaffle him anyway he is better than all Leinster options bar Toner
Thatās not what I heard but I stand corrected if so.
You might be right mate. I would have been surprised that he would get 300k from Munster alone though.
As I say, could be wrong but thatās what I heard. Seems a lot alright.