IRFU set to review protocols after McCarthy's transfer to Leinster

RUGBY:Following the recent Mike McCarthy transfer from Connacht to Leinster, the current protocols that allow rival provinces to entice players will be reviewed by the IRFU.

“We do not believe the protocols are sufficient or serve Irish rugby well and I know the IRFU have recently discussed reviewing these in the near future,” said Connacht chief executive Tom Sears last night.

Earlier yesterday, Leinster coach Joe Schmidt addressed what he called the “misconception” and “misinformation” that has come in the aftermath of McCarthy’s decision to join Leinster on a three-year deal.

Sears claimed on Wednesday that Leinster have “persistently targeted” Connacht players in recent years.

Schmidt vehemently denied this: “To claim that we have persistently pursued Mike McCarthy is just false. I know that if you contact the IRFU they will say that we abided by all protocols. And those protocols set down are very, very clear.”

Jamie Hagan, Fionn Carr (both graduates of the Leinster Academy) and Seán Cronin moved from Connacht to Leinster in 2011, with Nathan White and Paul O’Donohoe going in the opposite direction.

Other former Leinster players – David Moore, David McSharry, Dave Gannon, Jason Harris-Wright, Mick Kearney and Kyle Tonetti – are contracted to Connacht.

“We don’t choose Connacht players,” said Schmidt. “Mike McCarthy is not the only Connacht player that is interested in coming to Leinster, Ulster or Munster. Players as individuals, they look for opportunity, be it within their own club or maybe elsewhere.

“It is no different than Nathan Hines going to Clermont. We are not particularly happy to see him and I think he played particularly well last weekend. Players make choices like that all the time. It is up to them.”

Unable to flourish

Ironically, Hines’ departure last year created the current secondrow problem at Leinster as replacement signings from South Africa – Steven Sykes and Quinn Roux – have been unable to flourish because of injury.

Schmidt was also adamant McCarthy’s decision was not, in any way, financial. Despite impressively replacing Paul O’Connell in the Ireland number five jersey last month, the 31-year-old has not been upgraded to an international contract (however, the switch to Leinster may speed up that process).

“It is not financial,” Schmidt continued. “Again, a misconception that was in a newspaper today is that we can offer better bonuses. We can not offer anymore financial incentive than what Connacht set as the margin or the base. We can only match the base that they set up.

“So, there is a lot of misinformation about this particular issue that’s frustrating for us because it paints us in a bad light.

“One of the challenges for Connacht is to build an environment where people choose to stay. It’s challenging when important players leave but they have some exciting young players there, if they can keep them interested; it is no different to the challenge we face every year when we are doing contracting.”

Choose to stay

“Some players, reportedly, get twice as much money from French clubs. We have to make sure the environment is as positive as possible so they choose to stay.”

Sears also stated that Leinster’s targeting of Connacht players is not in the “best interest of Irish Rugby.” Schmidt responded with the “combinations” argument. “If Richardt Strauss is in the Irish team and he is throwing to Mike McCarthy and he is playing against Clermont and pushing behind Mike Ross or Cian Healy and he is surrounded by Seán O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip I think there is a fantastic continuity for the Irish rugby team right there.”

The dispute took another interesting turn when Schmidt revealed that McCarthy didn’t sign for Leinster in 2010 because Eric Elwood convinced him to remain in Galway. Elwood’s imminent departure and the ongoing search for his successor appears to have influenced McCarthy’s decision.

“I think (Eric) was pivotal in Mike staying,” Schmidt continued. “There is obviously going to be a new coach there next year. One thing that is not going to be is the same certainty that there was with Eric, for Mike.”

Express sympathy

Schmidt did express sympathy for Connacht’s plight but the two-time European Cup-winning coach was livid that Sears’ comments calls into question Leinster’s reputation.

“Massively disappointed because we have done everything by the book.” He also made the point that Connacht wouldn’t be playing Heineken Cup rugby without Leinster’s recent success. “We would believe that we have helped Connacht build that team by helping them qualify for Heineken Cup [by winning it] which has got a lot of people excited.”

Sears, when offered the right of reply to Schmidt’s comments, said: “We have utmost respect for Joe Schmidt . . . It is interesting to note that he sees these actions as good for Irish Rugby, we would take a very different view that the constant targeting of our senior players, if allowed to continue, will have a detrimental effect on the IRFU’s desire to see four strong provinces representing Irish Rugby and producing players for the national squad.”

In a related issue, Connacht teenager Robbie Henshaw has signed a two-year contract. “His commitment to his home province is a credit to him, particularly in the face of strong overtures from other provinces while he has been a member of our Academy,” said Sears.