r/rugbyunion • u/damcingspuds Connacht • 6d ago

James Lowe set to leave Ireland

https://the42.ie/7055532

Seems contract negotiations have broken down and Lowe is leaving Ireland.

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203

u/Ploon92 Leinster 6d ago

The whispers had been along these lines for a while, really disappointed a deal couldn't be struck.

I get it from a Leinster perspective, particularly when they have to pay 40% of all central contracts from next year on. Looking forward at value for money, Lowe isn't going to represent that as a 34 year old winger with test match restrictions.

One of my all time favourite Leinster signings. Breathe of fresh air, always played with a smile on his face. The power, the boot, the way he changed his defensive game to step up a level. Injected so much colour into a beige environment, his departure will be felt as much off the pitch as on it (maybe more so).

Hope he gets a few more tries in blue to send him off as Leinster's all time try scorer and a record to suit.

11

u/metalheadtrees 6d ago

I think you've pretty well summed it up there. He'll be missed.

20

u/Comfortable-Yam9013 Leinster 6d ago

How do they expect Leinster to foot the bill for players but also can’t have access to them? If Lowe goes abroad then we can’t play him for Ireland! Maybe we won’t need him but we can’t know that

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u/swankytortoise Munster 6d ago

I mean leinster do have access to them

10

u/Weak-Masterpiece-829 Leinster 5d ago

Furlong has played like 10 times for Leinster over the last two seasons

6

u/swankytortoise Munster 5d ago

Hes played 13 games this season alone for leinster, your argument seems to be that should be for free

15

u/Clsmooth48 5d ago

Minutes might be a better indicator: 476 for Leinster and 395 for Ireland this season. Not sure he’s really worth it for Leinster any more. Tom Clarkson has clocked up 912 for Leinster in comparison this season.

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u/silentgolem #JusticeForMcCloskey 5d ago

So Leinster will pay 40% of his wage for 51% of his playtime? Seems reasonable.

-5

u/swankytortoise Munster 5d ago

So cut him, if paying a small portion of a players contract is that big a concern It id what its is

9

u/Clsmooth48 5d ago

40% of a TH prop’s salary and of the reputation of Tadgh Furlong is likely a significant whack of money. Theres a strong argument from a Leinster POV to get rid and spend that money on a player who’ll actually get onto the pitch for them.

1

u/swankytortoise Munster 5d ago

Then they should, worth keeping in mind you likely wont be allowed an niq though, maby promote smyth

1

u/Clsmooth48 5d ago

I think Leinster have lots of good young players coming through to cover the front row. It will probably hurt the other provinces more as there won’t be the same log jam at Leinster so the fringe players will likely stay instead of moving to another province and the higher earners will be phased out to abroad.

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u/fuckinghonkkong Munster 5d ago

He's been on the physio table a lot

0

u/Comfortable-Yam9013 Leinster 5d ago

Heavily restricted. I get you can’t run them into the ground but you can’t expect teams to foot the bill and then say you can’t have access to them 60% of time.

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u/swankytortoise Munster 5d ago

There not footing the bill even with these changes the irfu still pay 60% of these contracts

9

u/Weak-Masterpiece-829 Leinster 5d ago

But you're missing the point because you need another players wages on top to account for the fact that the first teams playing time is so heavily restricted

You need to pay the salaries of a whole bunch of more players on top

6

u/megacky Ulster 5d ago

That only applies to central contracted players. McCloskey played almost the same minutes for Ulster alone this year that Furlong played total. He played every minute of the 6 Nations, and 50% of them in the autumn games. We still have to rest him occasionally, and that means paying someone's wages behind him. We don't get special treatment because he's in the Ireland camp.

If Leinster can't pay for both, then they need to let one of them go. That's how it works for every other province.

2

u/swankytortoise Munster 5d ago

Im not missing the point at all, your suggesting leinster are entitled to double figure world class players for 0 cost, suggesting paying 40% of a world class players contract is a punishment is madness

6

u/Weak-Masterpiece-829 Leinster 5d ago

I personally disagree. When your first and second choice props are both in Ireland camp and your third choice gets injured, you end up in the exact scenario where an AIL player is in the champions cup with jerry cahir

Meanwhile, the munster props get uninterrupted training and are concentrating on playing a single system for the whole season in terms of attack and defence. Plus they get a whole bunch more Physio and recovery time when they're not involved with the national setup

Being a bulk supplier to the national team sucks

5

u/swankytortoise Munster 5d ago

Then hopefully we start selecting from elsewhere also I couldnt agree more

Given you see it as a burden would you accept fully paid central contracts if the players had to move so they where evenly distributed across provinces?

2

u/Weak-Masterpiece-829 Leinster 5d ago

Absolutely in a heartbeat

Would make for a more competitive league and gets more game time for NT players across the board

More of the likes of Andrew Boyle moving from Leinster to Munster and becoming a stalwart

1

u/spiralism Leinster 5d ago

This would unironically be a great idea.

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