ROCKY ELSOM returns to Sydney next week, with the Barbarians, and will probably feature in this summer’s Tri-Nations but, without categorically confirming it, the chances of him wearing blue and navy of Leinster next season look increasingly unlikely.
The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) are against such a prized asset spending another year in the Northern Hemisphere ahead of the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand and Elsom conceded yesterday his Leinster sojourn is probably over.
In an interview with Eamon Keane on Newstalk’s lunch-time radio show the following QA session unfolded: What is your next move? “There is a Barbarians game on the 30th (against England in Twickenham) so I fly out tomorrow and then there is another, Barbarians versus Australia, on the 6th so I’ll be heading back with them as well.”
Has a deal been done to join the ACT Brumbies? “No, well, it runs the same as it does here. You contract first with your federation. The IRFU here, you do the same, you need to contract first with the Australian rugby, which is what I need to work out.”
Have you been in discussion with John O’Neill (ARU chief executive) with a view to (signing) a contract? “Yeah, I was thinking from a while ago a priority for me is playing for Australia so obviously I need to talk to him if I want to do that.”
If it came to them saying we are not going to do a Dan Carter clause, let you play in Europe, does that mean you have to go to Australia and not come back? “Well, this is a pretty similar situation (to Carter) where I’ve gone overseas then come back to play but if you have to do that to play for Australia then so be it.”
So you would have to give up Leinster? “Yeah.”
How would that leave you feeling? “I’ve had a really good time here and it would be sad for me to think that I won’t be able to be a part of it anymore but, on the other hand, you got to enjoy what you had and I have been really lucky here so I can’t really complain.”
Leinster have moved heaven and earth to get you to stay? “Yeah, but I think they also understand that the internationals is the pinnacle of the game. When I came over here they said what they really want to do is come over for a year and we want to win the Heineken Cup. We’ve done that so in a sense they understand where I’m coming from.”
Elsom almost put an end to the speculation but avoided finality in his comments while contract negotiations, understandably, are ongoing with the ARU.
“It would be sad to think I would never be able to play for Leinster again but that could happen.”
