Payne to Leinster.

[munster#1]

Rumour has it that Payne is being linked with a move to Leinster as a replacement for bod. Great move for Leinster if ye can pull it off.

[wixfjord]

These rumours have been going around for yonks.

Payne recently signed a new contract anyway.

What's all this coming out this morning for? Seen Henshaw mentioned too. Are people just reading too much into the IRFU comments & the 'unconfirmed' rumours in the Indo?

[Armchair]

These rumours have been going around for yonks.

Payne recently signed a new contract anyway.

What's all this coming out this morning for? Seen Henshaw mentioned too. Are people just reading too much into the IRFU comments & the 'unconfirmed' rumours in the Indo?

Quiet week

[tones]

I saw Mike Sowerby on the plane back to Dublin from Lyon....don't think he'd be a good rpelacement though

[neiliog93]

Seems unlikely but I'd be delighted if it were true. I heard they wanted to swap him for Jack McGrath, but with the latter's new contract and Ulster's acquisition of two new props that seems unlikely now.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Any chance this is because he was in Dublin for the hearing this week?

There are countless reasons why I think it would be a bad idea anyway.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Any chance this is because he was in Dublin for the hearing this week?

There are countless reasons why I think it would be a bad idea anyway.

[mtleinster]

Cant really see it happening TBH,

we have 2 top quality fullbacks. Payne is primarily a 15

[Lamb of BOD]

He played a lot of rugby at centre before moving to this hemisphere

[leinster4life13]

Any chance this is because he was in Dublin for the hearing this week?

There are countless reasons why I think it would be a bad idea anyway.

Name one(apart from Ulster fans moaning).

[Fireworks]

Cant really see it happening TBH,

we have 2 top quality fullbacks. Payne is primarily a 15

From the little I have seen of his games I would think that 15 might be better. I would prefer Henshaw if I was given a choice.

For Ireland I think Payne should stay at 15 and push Rob for the jersey. Realistically there is nobody putting any pressure on Rob at the moment. If he is fit he plays.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

We already have a guy who's primarily a fullback but can also play 13.

His defence at 13 isn't good enough.

Ulster need him at fullback and he's a much much better fullback than 13 imo. That's not to say he's a bad 13 btw, he's still a fantastic player.

We have plenty of fullbacks so that versatility would be wasted a bit.

Ulster are losing loads of top players but can't replace them, they need to retain class where they can. They were also the ones to bring him over and lost a year because of his injury, don't think it would be right to steal him.

We have plenty of options who could fill in at 13 but only one out and out one in Macken. Therefore I'd be looking to bring in a specialist 13.

Obviously it would be a big boost for Ireland but I just think the negatives outweigh the positives in this instance. He wouldn't exactly be a round peg in a square hole but I don't see him as being a perfect fit here either.

[simonokeeffe]

We already have a guy who's primarily a fullback but can also play 13.

His defence at 13 isn't good enough.

Ulster need him at fullback and he's a much much better fullback than 13 imo. That's not to say he's a bad 13 btw, he's still a fantastic player.

We have plenty of fullbacks so that versatility would be wasted a bit.

Ulster are losing loads of top players but can't replace them, they need to retain class where they can. They were also the ones to bring him over and lost a year because of his injury, don't think it would be right to steal him.

We have plenty of options who could fill in at 13 but only one out and out one in Macken. Therefore I'd be looking to bring in a specialist 13.

Obviously it would be a big boost for Ireland but I just think the negatives outweigh the positives in this instance. He wouldn't exactly be a round peg in a square hole but I don't see him as being a perfect fit here either.

Ulster losing 3 starters this summer as it is, last thing they need is to lose their only good fullback, which until last season had been a problem position for 15 years

[UlsterMan]

As I said on the other thread, definitely not happening.

[offshorerules]

I never listen to these rumours. Seems like a pointless exercise.

[AdamK]

It's baseless rumour, but I can't agree with LRIP. He's a very good 13, but he's a better 15. Having said that, he's probably going to be Ireland's next 13, the only other person really eligible is Henshaw. He won't get game time with Ulster at 13 so the move would suit a lot of parties, but primarily Ireland. I never really had any issue with his defence there.

If he's good enough to play at 13 for Ireland we must presume he's good enough for Leinster.

[olaf the fat]

The full back spot up North is his, he can battle it out with RK for the international spot.
If he comes here as a 13 it may or may not work out. Any contract can only match what Ulster have him on, not a penny more and to play pretty much the same level of rugby(hats off to David Humphrey and Co.)

Makes much more sense to hold what he has and progress from there.

Henshaw may leave the west to play at a higher level. Iirc he is doing a degree in Galway currently, something that will be a factor to him. He is, I think, from Athlone - so Dublin or limerick is pretty close. He could be a better option to poach.

[AdamK]

The full back spot up North is his, he can battle it out with RK for the international spot.
If he comes here as a 13 it may or may not work out. Any contract can only match what Ulster have him on, not a penny more and to play pretty much the same level of rugby(hats off to David Humphrey and Co.)

Makes much more sense to hold what he has and progress from there.

Henshaw may leave the west to play at a higher level. Iirc he is doing a degree in Galway currently, something that will be a factor to him. He is, I think, from Athlone - so Dublin or limerick is pretty close. He could be a better option to poach.

Completely, it's down to him as a player and what he wants. He might want to stick with Ulster or he might want a new challenge. He might also see moving to Leinster are a stepping stone to an international career. Personally if RK is on the form he is now Payne won't move him off that incumbent spot, but I think regardless of what happens when he becomes IQ he will make the 23.

BTW: We won't be 'poaching' anyone. Inter-provincial moves done in contract must surely be down to the player and their agent and the IRFU. I don't think provinces can approach them, nor should they.

[olaf the fat]

Poach maybe bit extreme, get his services ahead of Munster and Ulster if he moves.

Btw the two next best teams get to play off between team 7 in the top 14 and English league.
That's not beyond Connacht.

[UlsterMan]

For crying out loud, stop discussing this. Take it from somebody who spoke to him yesterday and asked him about it - his reply was "Not a chance". Ok?