The most controversial transfers between the Irish provinces over the last 10 years
Moving between the four Irish provinces isn’t as big a deal as it once was, but the transfer market in Ireland still tends to throw up its fair share of controversy. Some players have moved in search of trophies, leaving less well-resourced provinces in the hope of building up their medal collections. Others have moved in search of game-time, leaving competitive squads in Leinster and Munster hoping to earn more time on the pitch.
Here, we look back at some of the most controversial transfers between the Irish provinces over the last 10 years.
Robbie Henshaw
The biggest take-away from Robbie Henshaw’s 2016 switch from Connacht to Leinster was the sense of inevitability once rumours of a potential transfer first surfaced. Henshaw was a stand-out player in Pat Lam’s great Connacht side, and his rise through the ranks saw him earn a central contract with the IRFU, something reserved for only the top players in the Irish system. The conditions of that contract would have reportedly allowed Henshaw to stay in Connacht or move south to Munster, but instead the centre opted for a switch to Leinster.
Connacht were helpless as one of the top talents to come through their academy packed his bags. Henshaw insisted the decision was his and his only, noting the fact that his girlfriend, as well as family and friends, were based in Dublin. In his last game for the province, Henshaw helped Connacht beat Leinster in the 2016 Pro12 final to win the first trophy of their long history.
Jordi Murphy
When Jordi Murphy’s move from Leinster to Ulster was announced in December 2017, it was seen as a sensible move for the player, without representing a significant loss for Leo Cullen’s star-studded Leinster squad. However, over the next few months Leinster were hit hard by injuries and Murphy stepped up to the plate, delivering some eye-catching performances that underlined his value to the squad. He ended the season with his highest number of appearances for Leinster (21) since 2014, raising questions as to whether Leinster could actually afford to lose a player of his quality.
By moving to Ulster, Murphy hoped to earn more first-team action and keep himself in the mix for international honours. Having initially missed out on the 2019 World Cup squad, he was flown in as a replacement player only to pick up an injury in his first game in Japan. After a promising start to his Ulster career, Murphy will hope his fortune improves going forward.
Andrew Conway
While not an established star at the time, Andrew Conway’s move from Leinster to Munster in 2013 still managed to raise plenty of eyebrows. Having shone for the Ireland U-2os, Conway was hotly-tipped to make an impact at Leinster, but struggled to nail down a regular first team place in a highly competitive squad.
Injuries held him back further, and so Conway took the surprise decision to join Munster, despite Leinster’s desire to keep him in Dublin. Conway hasn’t looked back, becoming a hugely valuable member of Munster’s first team, making 124 appearances for his adopted province to date.
Sean Cronin
A player who has achieved the rare feat of representing three of the four Irish provinces. Cronin, born in Limerick, came through the Munster system and made just two appearances for his home province before joining Connacht in 2008. With Connacht the hooker gained valuable first-team experience, and sufficiently impressed to earn a move to Leinster in 2011, where he again managed to bring his game to another level.
While his opportunities at international level suffered from the presence of former Ireland captain Rory Best – only 10 of his 72 caps have been starts – Cronin has been hugely important to Leinster’s success in recent years. Last season, he was joint-top try-scorer in the Champions Cup, matching Ulster’s Jacob Stockdale with six tries.
Munster, and Connacht, were left wondering what might have been.
Jack McGrath
A move that would have been unthinkable just a few years previously. Last year, McGrath, a British and Irish Lion who was named on the bench for all three Tests against New Zealand in 2017, decided to leave Leinster after finding first team action increasingly hard to come by. After years of battling it out with Cian Healy for the loosehead spot at club and international level, McGrath had found himself the clear second choice to a player two years his senior.
He decided to join Ulster, where his career has failed to reignite. McGrath has yet to be capped for Ireland since joining Dan McFarland’s squad, and the next year is set to be a significant one for a player who will turn 31 in October, but should still have plenty to offer.
Fionn Carr
In May 2011 it was announced that Leinster Academy graduate Fionn Carr would be leaving Connacht for Leinster, who later that month would collect their second European Cup medal.
It was a bitter blow for Connacht. Carr had joined the struggling province from Leinster in 2008 and quickly settled in, going on to become the province’s all-time top try-scorer. His rise resulted in a move back to a high-flying Leinster side at the age of 25. Upon his return, Carr featured regularly for Leinster in the league but struggled to make an impact at European Cup level. In 2013 he returned to Connacht having turned down the offer of a new contract in Leinster.
This would be an interesting move for Cheiks.https://t.co/ng8hCorZfd
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 15, 2020
Joey Carbery
Of all the players to slip out of Leinster’s hands in recent years, losing Joey Carbery to Munster in 2018 represented the biggest disappointment.
A gifted player who shot through the ranks, Carbery felt his development was suffering as a result of being behind Jonathan Sexton in the Leinster pecking order. Battling it out with Ross Byrne to play number two to Sexton, the IRFU reportedly spoke to both players about moving away from the province, and informed Leinster that one of them would need to leave.
An angered Leinster wanted to keep both, having put in all the hard work of bringing Carbery and Byrne through their system. A few days after Carbery was pictured with Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt in a Dublin coffee shop, his move to Munster was confirmed. Despite being a product of the Leinster system, Carbery has been warmly embraced by Munster supporters. However, his on-going injury problems have prevented the 24-year-old from making the desired impact at Thomond Park.
Today could prove to be a historic day.https://t.co/KE19MuamMQ
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 15, 2020
Nick McCarthy
Not the most-high profile transfer on our list, but Nick McCarthy’s move to Munster from Leinster last year certainly managed to stir-up some ill-feeling.
Seeing a player move between the two great rivals wasn’t the shock it used to be, but the young scrum-half’s decision to leave an extremely successful Leinster set-up left a sour taste with head coach Leo Cullen. Despite the embarrassment of riches at his disposal, Cullen was growing increasingly incensed at seeing rival provinces lure young Leinster players away with the promise of more first team action, particularly as Leinster had made a genuine effort to keep McCarthy on their books.
“Everyone here at the club is conscious of the fact that there is a lot of Leinster players being… ‘targeted’, maybe? I’m not sure what the best way to describe it is,” Cullen said.
Unfortunately for Cullen, the growing trend of young players leaving the club wasn’t going to slow down anytime soon.
Patrick Tuipulotu has revealed the key moment that swayed his decision to stay in New Zealand through until at least 2023 rather than head overseas.https://t.co/KRe5u8i3ur
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 15, 2020
Roman Salanoa
Leinster were once again said to be extremely frustrated with the IRFU after highly-rated prop Roman Salanoa became the latest young player to swap Leinster for Munster. The move was confirmed on a busy day of transfers in Ireland last month, with Connacht also announcing the signing of Munster players Sammy Arnold and Conor Oliver, as well as Leinster duo Jack Aungier and Oisin Dowling.
Salanoa, born in Hawaii, is believed to have turned down a move to Connacht – leading Leinster to believe he was staying with Cullen’s squad – before agreeing terms with Munster.
Leinster’s concern is that he won’t be the last to fancy his chances elsewhere.
Comments on RugbyPass
Anna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
61 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
8 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
61 Go to comments