BRIAN O’DRISCOLL HAS admitted that the IRFU could give their 2015 Rugby World Cup ambitions a major boost by buying out the second year of Jonny Sexton’s contract at Racing Métro.
When directly questioned on the topic, Ireland’s outside centre was swift to underline that he did not intend to undermine the Top 14 club’s position, but pointed out that if Sexton were to return to Ireland it would be an obvious boost to the national team.
“I don’t want to talk out of turn where Jonny is contracted to Racing, and I think it would be disrespectful to them to say there we’re looking at taking him away from them,” O’Driscoll said at Carton House this afternoon.
“I think everyone is in agreement that we didn’t want to see him go, and if a situation arose where he did come back, and some agreement was made, well I don’t see that possibly being a negative.
I know that he’d be welcomed back into the fold from a provincial point of view and I’m sure the national management would like to be able to control his game time a little bit more than they currently can.
“So I suppose it’s one just to wait out and we’ll see what happens.”
Clearly, there would be a huge cost in the IRFU making such a move, and the fact that Sexton himself has spoken about his determination to be a success at Racing further contradicts the idea.
Ireland are hopeful the 28-year-old will take part in training this week as his recovery from a thumb injury continues. News of Sexton’s appointment with a specialist consultant is expected tomorrow.
What do you think? Should the IRFU go all out to get Sexton back in Ireland a year early?
Are the IRFU consigned to be the Mommy? How dare you pay Johnny 750,000 a year and expect him to play, it would’ve been ideal but that ship sailed, to buy him out of his contract and into one along Heaslips massive numbers would be a price to large for one player, we are meant to have cover but the way Joe is using Jackson you’d wonder why he’s even there
Heaslip is on 400000 a year, a nice tidy sum id gladly take home but hardly massive.
Now 200000 a week that top footballers can command is a massive sum of cash
Jackson is not yet good enough to play 10 for Ireland.
It’s up to Jackson to develop his own game at ulster, which he is doing in fairness. It’s hard to pick him over sexton though when there’s a six nations on the line.
How about at least starting him against the Italian’s. Schmidt was all talk about developing a squad at the start of the season. Jackson won’t do that without gametime and Sexton could certainly do with a break. If the Sh1te is hitting the fan Sexton can always be introduced off the bench. As for this waffle about Sextons contract. He had the opportunity to stay at home and benefit from the player management system but he choose the big money move to France. His contract is binding and he will be in Racing Metro for the foreseeable
After the last match Sexton should be dropped. However this won’t happen as JS doesn’t pick the team on form. Sexton is obviously worried for his place in the world cup team and is starting the campaign to get him home. He has been shown up for the limited player he is when playing behind a pack that is under pressure in France and not the go forward pack at Leinster he has been able to ride bareback on for the last few years. Let him enjoy his 40 pieces of French silver and lets get an outhalf that is committed to Irish Rugby into the international team.
A load of rubbish. Sexton had an off day, every player has them, O’Mahony wasn’t exactly hitting the heights of his powers either but he doesn’t deserve to be dropped, and neither does Sexton. Sexton is rightly named one of the, if not the best outhalves in Europe, and the people who award him this title know an awful lot more about rugby than you or I do. Sexton has not always been behind a pack that has been getting the upper hand, Ireland have only very recently gotten themselves together in that regard, and Leinster were never known for completely dominating other packs. Ireland’s forwards dominated the English everywhere but the breakdown last Saturday, so it has nothing to do with the pack. He was out on his feet after 65 minutes. The workload at Racing is too much and the Management team there should take a certain responsibility for what strain they are putting on him. I agree that he made the wrong decision in moving to France, but he can be forgiven for that, he was obviously thinking of his wife and future family and how comfortable he could make them. And anyway, a young man like himself should be given the opportunity to travel and get out of Dublin and Leinster. He was right to give it a shot and unfortunately it went wrong, it would be great to see him back at Leinster next season and it will hopefully discourage other Ireland internationals from moving abroad.
What are you trying to say that he cannot last 80 mins because he has played too much rugby for his club who is paying him 750,000 a season. He has hardly played 2 good matches for them all season. You see this is the first season he has been caught out for Ireland as he doesn’t have ROG to bail him out anymore.
How can refusing to pay more than €450,000, then buying out a players €750,000 contract after a year discourage other players from travelling abroad?
Unfortunately Oisin, Mr Sexton has had a lot more than one off day in an Irish shirt.
Maybe Racing were willing to break the bank based on what they saw of Sexton at Leinster where the platform was built around him, it’s when he’s taken out of his comfort zone that his weakness as an adaptable No.10 is exposed.
Definitely agree that Jackson should start v Italy. No point in rushing an injured Sexton back, give him an extra week off,or stick him on the bench. If Jackson has a mare you have the first choice sitting there. If Jackson plays well, then happy days, you didn’t risk one of your key guys heading into a showdown in Paris
This is pointless why worry about Sexton in France develop at least 3 other top class #10s and while you are at it develop three top teams like New Zealand have it when a player goes down you have a ready replacement. Run some serious summer tours for all the prospective teams.
Get rid of Heaslip and bring Johnny home!!
Stupid comment. Heaslip has just signed a new 3 year deal and good for him, he is a great player. Hopefully Jonny comes home after 2.
Sexton turned his back on his his country by sacrificing his game for more money
A bit dramatic danny. The irfu made a balls of the negotiations and paid the price, losing control of their pivot. At least they’ve learned from this with all the recent contracts signed
The truth hurts for some but that is the bottom line,
€€€€€
Correct me if I’m wrong but is the game not professional now? So of course it’s about the money. Players have to weigh up the pros and cons of the full package when signing contracts. Johnny’s case hasn’t been helped by injuries to Racing’s other out-halves meaning he’s played a lot more rugby than even his club probably intended. To claim he lacks commitment is just rubbish.
It is an insult to all home based players to suggest that the IRFU would contemplate such a move and would be a very bad precedent. I’m surprised and disappointed that BOD decided to go public with this notion.
Dont talk nonsense. Why would any player be insulted by such a move back and about turn by the irfu? He’s our best 10 by a distance and one of our most important players along with paulie and SOB.
What a joke, imagine the precedent this would set. Sexton maintained his move to Racing wasn’t entirely based on money and Metro had a lot to offer.
If he wants to return then let him comeback for the original €450,000 reportedly offered by the IRFU. Let’s not forget he’s not exactly setting the world alight in France. If we really want to improve the national team then only players plying their trade in Ireland should be considered for the Irish team. Would this situation exist if Sexton wasn’t one of JS’s fair haired boys.
I’ve watched most of his games on BT Sport and I have to say he’s been very impressive at times. However his relationship with his backline doesn’t seem great, and it’s his individual play that’s where he’s shown his worth.
If he returns he can’t go back to Leinster due to Gopparth/Madigan, or do a Figo and go to Munster thanks to Hanrahan/Keatley so basically he’s snookered now
So Connacht it is then Harry Redmond.
Can’t see the IRFU centrally contracting him to play honest rugby down in Galway, he’d make a great cover for Parks though. Just think how character building it would be for him.
That would be wonderful to see. Or even better, why not do our dear friends at the RFU a favour by sending him over to one of their wonderfully expansive sides such as Worcester or Exeter where he can get some true grit
Sounds like a great plan Harry. Maybe BOD could float the idea of Johnny’s move to Exeter at his next press conference now that he’s Sextons new spokesman.
I can see that all happening, I was expecting ROG to be his career adviser but there still seems some lasting feelings there between them so he’s taken up BOD’s offer as press agent / Career adviser. Maybe BOD told him to piss off before Madigan showed him up?
Finance wise, is it possible to do so? If so he should definitely come back for the WC but even then where does he fit in?