Mike McCarthy will join Leinster next season

[Raydollard]

way past time for Sears to Rowback on this nonsense and for this thread to cease.

[tones]

If for example Ulster were able to offer huge money to some of teh Leinster guys to jump ship how would you feel about Sexton, Heaslip, Healy< Fitz all moved north - thats the equivalent

Provinces are NOT ALLOWED to offer more than the province the player is under contract to. So, if they went to Ulster for huge money, they would HAVE HAD to been already offered huge money by Leinster. If they chose to go anyway, I'd be pissed off with the players, not Ulster.

There is no restrictions on bonuses though and that is where Leinster and it's backers can make a vast difference to any amount Connacht can offer up front....

There is...

[Fireworks]

I am not sure that Sears is helping Connacht by attacking Leinster. Players are free to decide who they play for and there are protections that stop the bigger clubs offering more money. But any player in and sport wants to achieve as much as they can and in team sport that means playing for the best team. The only way Connacht will see any more Heineken cup rugby is if one of the other provinces wins it again and with the changes some want to the cup that route might not be open for long.

It would be good to see them build a squad of players that stick with them but that has to be the players decision. By making this fuss he will be damaging the relationship with Leinster and others which will not help them in the future. They have done well from player coming from the other provinces in the past even if many of those players goals was to get game time and return to their original province on a full contract. I would imagine they would be influenced in selecting where they go by their current coach and that may see them going to France or England rather than going west.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I wonder would Sears move to Leinster if given the chance?

[jezzer]

I'd imagine both sides OFFER the same bonuses but you are much more likely to realise them at Leinster than you are at Connacht?

Depends on what they are. If one bonus is related to first team appearances, he's probably more likely to realise it at Connacht than Leinster, especially as he's not on a CC but will be heavily involved with Ireland next season. I'm sure Leinster and Connacht don't have the same bonuses - win the League, the HEC etc - but then I don't know. For example, for Leinster, there could be a bonus of winning the league for Leinster but Connacht have one just to qualify for the play-offs or finish in the top 6. I'm sure there are people here with the inside edge who can clarify.

I think it's very unlikely that the bonuses are heavily weighted in favour of number of appearances. Because, as we all know, appearances with the provinces for our top players is limited. You'd basically be handicapping your incentive scheme against your more important players in favour of your less important ones.

It's more likely to be predicated some on appearances, some on wins and some on objectives achieved. I can't see how your earning potential could ever be better in Connacht - even if the Westies bonuses were higher than Leinster's.

[Donny B.]

I wonder would Sears move to Leinster if given the chance?

[sarah_lennon]

Bonuses - perhaps. Endorsements - Certainly. Fact of life at a bigger club

[ronk]

way past time for Sears to Rowback on this nonsense and for this thread to cease.

This thread is about an exciting signing. It still has a place. It's up for Sears to do as he sees fit. Rowback would probably be a bit much, moving on is the easiest way to save face/maintain high ground.

We don't like it when we lose players, but we move on. The fact is that McCarthy is a valid source of frustration. Connacht do well from certain things but it should also be remembered that Sean Cronin was the first serving Connacht player to play in the 6N, McCarthy is in line to be the 2nd. At some point Connacht will need to transition to the point where they can retain a current international or their progress will stall.

Losing McCarthy is a blow to their ambitions, but it doesn't have to halt progress. Connacht have good young locks in Kearney and Qualter (though they may take a while to develop), they have a really exciting core of promising young players making an impact in the team: Buckley, Kearney McKeown, Marmion, O'Halloran, Henshaw. All but Buckley started in the huge win over Biarritz.

In part this is what's so frustrating about Sears, he's playing the Leinster as the big bad wolf card and generating headlines but not making anywhere like the same traction (or appearing to be attempting to) in terms of generating buzz around Connacht. Sports journalists take the path of least resistance, they'll write the stories that are spoon fed to them.

(Around international time) There'd be a fair bit of interest in the wider rugby public in tracking the development of Connacht. But these people think it's Munster and Ulster that are making all the progress. Part of that is because of the lack of young Connacht players in the international setup, but in reality it's an opportunity missed and it's going to hurt the careers of those young players if something isn't done.

[hugonaut]

Bonuses - perhaps. Endorsements - Certainly. Fact of life at a bigger club

Mike McCarthy is a 31 year old tighthead lock who has started three games for Ireland, all of them in pretty understrength teams. He's got a pretty small public profile when it comes to bringing in endorsements. I can't see how it'd be significantly bigger than somebody like Locky or Jenno, lads who've won a couple of Irish caps here and there over the last few years. I'm not really sure what people mean by endorsements – my idea of an endorsement is Drico and Gilette, O'Connell and milk, ROG and Newbridge Silver ... and of course, Disco Den and Wavin pipes.

[fourthirtythree]

Disco Den and Wavin pipes.

Still the gold standard, the high water mark, the blue riband for Irish sporting endorsements. I always choose Wavin pipes.

[Mauler]

Disco Den and Wavin pipes.

Still the gold standard, the high water mark, the blue riband for Irish sporting endorsements. I always choose Wavin pipes.

Closely followed by Donnacha O'Callaghan & Triton Showers

[Donny B.]

Disco Den and Wavin pipes.

Still the gold standard, the high water mark, the blue riband for Irish sporting endorsements. I always choose Wavin pipes.

Closely followed by Donnacha O'Callaghan & Triton Showers

What about Trevor Brennan and waste management supplies? Talk about a match made in heaven!!

[kendalgerty]

Disco Den and Wavin pipes.

Still the gold standard, the high water mark, the blue riband for Irish sporting endorsements. I always choose Wavin pipes.

The Off The Ball lads voted it the most embarrassing Irish sporting moment, and did a hilarious running commentary of the ad on air. I still laugh when I think about it. ('Denis Hickie takes the kick-off for some reason...')

[rosscarrick]

Disco Den and Wavin pipes.

Still the gold standard, the high water mark, the blue riband for Irish sporting endorsements. I always choose Wavin pipes.

The Off The Ball lads voted it the most embarrassing Irish sporting moment, and did a hilarious running commentary of the ad on air. I still laugh when I think about it. ('Denis Hickie takes the kick-off for some reason...')

Thank God Subway have yet to create a cringey ad....

[Mauler]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6z8pfTYXg8

[sarah_lennon]

Bonuses - perhaps. Endorsements - Certainly. Fact of life at a bigger club

Mike McCarthy is a 31 year old tighthead lock who has started three games for Ireland, all of them in pretty understrength teams. He's got a pretty small public profile when it comes to bringing in endorsements. I can't see how it'd be significantly bigger than somebody like Locky or Jenno, lads who've won a couple of Irish caps here and there over the last few years. I'm not really sure what people mean by endorsements – my idea of an endorsement is Drico and Gilette, O'Connell and milk, ROG and Newbridge Silver ... and of course, Disco Den and Wavin pipes.

For one thing, there isn't a Nandos in Galway. So he can't tweet for his dinner.

[nelly the elephant]

Disco Den and Wavin pipes.

Still the gold standard, the high water mark, the blue riband for Irish sporting endorsements. I always choose Wavin pipes.

What about Trevor Brennan and waste management supplies? Talk about a match made in heaven!!

"waste management" as in the New Jersey meaning of the phrase?

[nelly the elephant]

Bonuses - perhaps. Endorsements - Certainly. Fact of life at a bigger club

Mike McCarthy is a 31 year old tighthead lock who has started three games for Ireland, all of them in pretty understrength teams. He's got a pretty small public profile when it comes to bringing in endorsements. I can't see how it'd be significantly bigger than somebody like Locky or Jenno, lads who've won a couple of Irish caps here and there over the last few years. I'm not really sure what people mean by endorsements – my idea of an endorsement is Drico and Gilette, O'Connell and milk, ROG and Newbridge Silver ... and of course, Disco Den and Wavin pipes.

Thanks Hugo....i'd forgotten that classic of the genre......

[Donny B.]

Still the gold standard, the high water mark, the blue riband for Irish sporting endorsements. I always choose Wavin pipes.

What about Trevor Brennan and waste management supplies? Talk about a match made in heaven!!

"waste management" as in the New Jersey meaning of the phrase?

With Trevor, I wouldn't rule anything out!

[fourthirtythree]

To be fair on sportspeople advertising sh!t they have nothing to do with it's a lot better than advertising something that people perceive you as having expertise on when you shill diabetes causing drinks and running shoes that cause injuries.

I had completely erased the the concept which allowed Donncha O'Callaghan and shower to share a sentence and I'd like that erasure back please.