'I've heard stories of players literally having contracts taken off the table overnight… I really feel for those guys'
Saturday was the strangest of strange London Irish farewells for Topsy Ojo. Instead of being at the Mad Stad to help the Exiles bid a colourful adieu to their 20-year-old rented Berkshire home before they switch back to the capital, the lockdown played spoilsport.
Not since a March 1 defeat to Wasps have Irish hunkered down collectively in Reading, the pandemic restrictions leaving club legends such as Ojo making do with a 20-plus person video call uploaded on social media at the same time the Exiles were originally slated to kick-off versus Bristol Bears in their final ever Madejski Stadium fixture.
The cancelled goodbye was like a bad pint of Guinness for the club that is all about the craic. Irish had played 299 games at their adopted home, winning 179 and at times generating enormous footfall compared to their Premiership origins at the long lamented, limited capacity Avenue in south-west London.
For instance, a crowd of 23,790 packed in for a St Patrick’s party in March 2008 around the time when the club was giddily going places, reaching a Heineken European Cup semi-final the following month and then progressing to the 2009 Premiership final.
Recently, though, the blarney has gone stale, Irish’s yo-yo existence between the top-flight and the Championship taking its toll on support and convincing owner Mick Crossan that the £6.56m loss recorded in 2017 and 2018 would be best tackled by starting all over again at the new Brentford Stadium, less than ten miles from their old spiritual Avenue home and their current Hazelwood training centre.
As a new ground ambassador, Ojo has nothing but positive things to say about the hopefully bright future that lies ahead for London Irish. Still, closing the final chapter on Reading in such weird circumstances wasn’t without its emotions, even for a player who called time on his stellar career a year ago after Irish secured their latest promotion back from the second-tier.
“It would be brilliant to get a farewell fixture there,” said Ojo to RugbyPass about a ground that was home turf for his entire London Irish career. “You have to deal with what is happening at the moment but having been there for 20 years, to be able to have one last farewell game would be nice.
“Bristol would have been a huge farewell party, but if there is an opportunity to do something I’m sure the club will. It would be nice to say goodbye to a home that has looked after us for the last 20 years.
“For me, Reading was brilliant. It will always hold a special place for me – it was where I started, where all of my fondest memories for London Irish happened. I understand the club needs to move forward and needs to change its future path but in terms of Reading, you speak to a lot of the players who have come and gone and been there, it was a special place and a lot of people have really fond memories.
“When that place was packed and the atmosphere buzzing, it was a really, really good place to play, a lot of fond memories. The one that stands out is we played Munster in the Heineken Cup. Evening kick-off, quite foggy, 23,000 Irish fans in there whether they were in green or in red. They were all full of noise and it was a Test match pretty much.
“The intensity, the speed of it all, it was just an unbelievable game. That one stands out. I know we had a big win against Perpignan the year we made our run to the semi-final, which was brilliant, but that Munster game was the one that stands out in the big, big games I had at the Madejski.”
Having grown up in Kent it was the 2002 Powergen Cup final at Twickenham when Ojo first saw London Irish in the flesh. Four years later he was starting in his first Premiership match, a January 2006 Mad Stad humdinger versus Leicester in front of 11,000, and the curtain then fell on his career in April last year, just over 5,000 in attendance for the promotion party and a win over Ealing.
In all that while, his routine was the same. Arrive 90 minutes before kick-off, warm-up on the pitch with 30 minutes to go to the first whistle and a regular diet of whatever his favourite tunes happened to be. “My routine was quite relaxed. I know some guys really liked to go through a long process but I hoped during the week I had pretty much everything sorted so the game day was just about going through things in my mind.”
The curiosity is why the Irish challenge petered out this past decade. They had briefly evolved into an English powerhouse, battling it out at the business end for trophies and enjoying average home attendances of 15,000 the season they were agonisingly pipped at the post in the league decider by Leicester. “It’s hard to say,” shrugged Ojo, struggling to lay the blame on one specific reason for the downturn in London Irish fortunes.
“There was definitely a transition. What made us successful was we had that good blend of young talent coming through, a good core of experienced internationals, experienced foreign players as well and the whole thing just gelled for a purple patch of a few years. We nearly reached the summit.
“We then lost a few players. The Armitage brothers left, (Seilala) Mapusua left, Bob Casey retired, players like that, and if the succession can’t quite keep up the momentum then ultimately there is going to be a dip. We didn’t quite get that balance right.
“We lost too many players of that quality, that stature and didn’t really have the succession plans to maintain it. As a result, performances started to dip, we didn’t do as well which probably led to a decrease in fans coming to the stadium and once you start yo-yoing it does become quite hard.”
There is renewed hope now, though. Declan Kidney’s recent stewardship, allied to the prospect of a more equitable financial groundshare with Brentford, has Ojo believing the curve is again heading upwards at a club that will hope social distancing measures and restrictions on large gatherings won’t stall ambitious plans to regenerate London roots once the new ground opens in September.
“There’s a clear plan with Declan being there now. With the way the squad has played this season, you would like to think we are on an upward trend and looking to really build. It’s almost like a restart… you’re trying to get that (old) blend back together and into that excitement of playing in a new stadium with a new fanbase and trying to rebuild something really special. Hopefully, you have got the makings of something that can be successful in the future.
“Having driven past the stadium many times, it looks class. It’s going to be really, really good and is something we probably needed for a while, something that is more of our own – we own more of it so we will be able to generate more, put more back into the club. We talking about sustained success.
? | Some of the key moments from over the years ?
It's been an incredible journey, thank you to everyone who has made the last 20 years so special.
Here's to the next chapter ??#FarewellMadejski pic.twitter.com/ug5U16V14c
— London Irish (@LiRFC) June 6, 2020
“You can get to the stadium door-to-door on a good day in 15 minutes, training ground to the stadium, and then in terms of access, there are plenty of train stations within a mile coming from central London and from out west. There is almost no excuse not to get there. Just leave the car at home, come and have a brilliant day at the stadium and create a brilliant atmosphere.”
Capped twice by England in 2008, Ojo counts himself very lucky he called time on his career at the age of 33 and wasn’t tempted to go for one final spin with London Irish in this season’s now suspended Premiership. If he was still playing he imagines he would be fretting over a likely June 30 expiry of any deal he would have had and trying to line up alternative employment amid a pandemic would have been a minefield.
“I really feel for guys who are out of contract, who are in that situation at the moment because if you’re talking retirement or even moving clubs, this is something that you want to plan, something that you want to have sorted so that you know you have got a job or know which way your future is going to go.
“I’ve heard stories of players literally having contracts taken off the table overnight as this thing [the pandemic] happened and a lot of guys now are out of contract at the end of June. They have had positive conversations but nothing is guaranteed until there is a very clear path back for rugby.
“As it stands a lot of guys on June 30 are going to be unemployed. When you have got bills to pay, you’ve got mortgages, rents, you might have a family to feed, you were working and planning and all of a sudden that is gone, it is really, really tough. I really feel for those guys,” he said, explaining how a variety of things – coaching various sports at a Leatherhead school four days a week, coaching twice weekly with the London Irish Wild Geese, becoming a club ambassador and doing media punditry – made his transition from player to former player much smoother.
“There is definitely an adjustment period and in the build-up, I spoke to quite a lot of people about how they had found it. The timing just working out in that there was a lot of opportunities for me to transition as smoothly as possible.
“Initially I was nervous because it is always an unknown. You’re not ever going to replace the buzz of being out there on a pitch in professional rugby, but what you can do if you’re lucky is find something that can replicate it and you still get similar feelings. I’m spinning a few different plates but it’s all stuff I really enjoy and I knew I would.
“I knew definitely in coaching that there were going to be similarities. You go through very similar emotions on the touchline and I’m looking towards becoming a qualified mentor and helping in that regard, preparing people for the ups and downs and the emotional side of things. Then there’s the media side as well, I’m pitch-side commentating, in the crowd trying to convey the atmosphere at games, so you’re almost tapping into a very similar feeling as well.
“This situation now is very weird but reflecting on this first year, it feels so lucky how it worked out because for a lot of people they don’t get it to work out that way. It’s a lot bumpier and with the situation now it [retirement] is going to be forced on a lot of players which is unfortunate.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Well that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
2 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
2 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
2 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
19 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
19 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to commentsMake what step up? Manie has a World Cup winner’s medal around his neck and changed the way the Springboks can play. He doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone. The win record of the Boks with him in the team is tremendous. Sacha can be wonderful and I hope he has a very succesful Bok career, but comparing him to Manie in terms of the next Bok flyhalf is very strange. Manie is the incumbent (not the next) and doing pretty incredibly.
4 Go to comments00 😍 U
1 Go to commentsSabbaticals have helped keep NZ’s very best talent in the country on long term deals - this fact has been left out of this article. Much like the articles calling to allow overseas players to be selected, yet can only name one player currently not signed to NZR who would be selected for the ABs. And in the entire history of NZ players leaving to play overseas, literally only 4 or 5 have left in their prime as current ABs. (Piatau, Evans, Hayman, Mo’unga,?) Yes Carter got an injury while playing in France 16 years ago, but he also got a tournament ending injury at the 2011 World Cup while taking mid-week practice kicks at goal. Maybe Jordie gets a season-ending injury while playing in Ireland, maybe he gets one next week against the Brumbies. NZR have many shortcomings, but keeping the very best players in the country and/or available for ABs selection is not one of them. Likewise for workload management - players missing 2 games out of 14 is hardly a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Again let’s use some facts - did it stop the Crusaders winning SR so many times consecutively when during any given week they would be missing 2 of their best players? The whole idea of the sabbatical is to reward your best players who are willing to sign very long term deals with some time to do whatever they want. They are not handed out willy-nilly, and at nowhere near the levels that would somehow devalue Super Rugby. In this particular example JB is locked in with NZR for what will probably (hopefully) be the best years of his career, hard to imagine him not sticking around for a couple more after for a Lions tour and one more world cup. He has the potential to become the most capped AB of all time. A much better outcome than him leaving NZ for a minimum of 3 years at the age of 27, unlikely to ever play for the ABs again, which would be the likely alternative.
3 Go to comments