REPORTS IN FRANCE have linked Leinster and Ireland out-half Jonny Sexton with a big money move to French Top 14 side Racing Metro in the last few days.
If you’re reading this Jonny, and if you’re seriously considering a move, here are a few things you should know.
1. “French toast” is just toast over there.
(See also: soup, French onion)
(Annie Mole / Creative Commons)
2. Sticking with food… if you’re in McDonald’s, don’t bother asking for a quarter-pounder with cheese.
They won’t know what you mean. Damn metric system.
YouTube Credit: movieclips
3. Probably best not to mention this…
And if anybody asks about “Monsieur Delaney” and the 33rd team idea, just shrug your shoulders (you’ll need to get good at that).
(Both pics ©INPHO/Donall Farmer)
4. If someone hands you a soft drink, presume it has been spiked.
Good men have been caught out in the past.
(Alessandro Trovati/AP/Press Association Images)
5. Get used to striking.
The French love an aul’ strike.
(Jacques Brinon/AP/Press Association Images)
6. If you bump into this man, do not take his advice on adjusting to a foreign culture.
YouTube Credit: Beanyman62Sports
And if you see him in an argument with this guy, here’s a handy reminder of how to approach the situation.
(Originals by AP/Press Association Images)
7. Be careful which relatives you invite to watch you play.
Ask Harinordoquy — it can end in tears.
YouTube Credit: gradarich
This move would be excellent for everyone. The lad gets to earn more money whie he broadens his rugby knowledge and experience. Madigan gets the chance to develop into a top class player.
I don’t see the draw back? Sure Leinster may suffer in the short term but it isn’t their fault the IRFU are cheapskates.
How does the Irish 1st Choice outhalf, likely to be the Lions outhalf, playing for the triple (in 4 seasons) European Champions stand to develop more by playing Brive or Castres in a league game?
He plays top international sides every year, the best of the best in Europe every single season, and he only plays about 20 games a season instead of the 40+ games that he’d be flogged for in France.
Not to mention he’d be with racing where he’d be surrounded by vastly inferior players as to his Leinster colleagues
How would this benefit him? If he is to move the current European rugby swing is in England, he’d be better off going there!
€750k that’s why – simple !
Experiencing a different style of rugby will make him a better player. O’Gara would have been a far better player if had have spent 2 years in France; he might have learned how to get a back line moving or how to tackle maybe?
Run along rat, no trolling here
I dunno Peter, I think with so many internationals and European games he has big exposure anyway?
Sexton actually played more games for Ireland last season than he did in the Rabo Direct league.
He gets a lot of experience with different rugby styles I think
troll? you are the fella who thumbs up his own comments….lol
Contract almost up Johnny? Posturing for a better offer from Leinster perhaps? ROG used the offer from an NFL team, Drico used the interested Southern Hemisphere team, so what’s left, eh? France, my arse.
Exactly !
So what? Nothing wrong with making your current employers realise that you are a valuable commodity and won’t be taken advantage of…
He’s not going anywhere. Given the tax breaks here and the insane tax in France, the 750,000 he was reportedly offered isn’t all that much, in net terms, than what the IRFU could offer him.
And, anyway, Racing Metro makes no sense. They don’t look like being in the Heineken Cup next year, and aren’t realistic challengers for the title. I could understand a move to Toulon, Toulouse, Clermont, etc. but Racing Metro? Might as well be Castres!
IT ,may b a good move for the lad ,,fine player ,
his looking for a better contract off the irfu. rog stated in his book he met with stade in an effort to get an improved offer when contract negoiations comenced. i think J-Sex is doing the same.
If it is just a case of trying to get a better contract, fair play to the lad. He’s done a lot and played well over the last number of seasons. If it takes the threat of moving to a different league then in my opinion he’s dead right to do whatever he can to improve his salary.
Anyone with the opportunity to increase their earnings would change job and threatening to leave might be the only way to do so. I’m sure he doesn’t want to leave Leinster given the history he has made with the club and the potential to win even more trophies.
One downside is that if the IRFU cave to such demands, more players will be holding out for better contracts which in the long run might not be financially viable for the IRFU…