Cheika: don’t make me poach Sexton

FORMER Leinster coach Michael Cheika last night claimed he did not want to bring Irish international Jonathan Sexton to Stade Francais but declared such a move may be inevitable.

Speaking on Newstalk’s Off the Ball show, Cheika said; “I don’t want Sexton to come here. I didn’t spend all that time working hard to build that club (Leinster) so that I can go and take the players but I think that’s what’s going to happen in the end.”

Cheika was a spectator at Leinster’s final Heineken Cup pool game last night away to Racing Metro in Paris, which gave rise to the suggestion he was there on a scouting mission but the Australian denied his presence was motivated by that and instead, reiterated his belief that the IRFU must stand up for their players “and pay them what they deserve and what’s fair”.

“To be honest, I’d honestly prefer him (Sexton) to be staying in Ireland and (if the IRFU) pay what’s right for the players, for all the players, because they’ve got good resources, they’ve a good crop of young players coming up, they should do the right thing and pay them what they deserve and they’ll stay because they all want to stay.”

He continued; “All the guys want to stay there because Leinster has a great atmosphere and they’re happy with it. I’ve had a good affinity with the Leinster supporters from my time there and I want those players to stay in Ireland. Maybe it’s about time the union who are saying that the French clubs have more money, they (the IRFU) have more money than anyone else and they should be paying them the right money.”