Jamie and Sean going nowhere, says O’Connor
One French newspaper reported last week that ASM Clermont Auvergne are considering moves for the two Irish forwards and, though Leinster have yet to begin contract talks with either, their head coach spoke reassuringly of their futures yesterday.
“We would back the environment [at Leinster] to make it very, very difficult to leave, like we did with Jonny,” he said. “Ultimately, it is their decision to make, but I’m sure off the back of what Leinster provides and what Dublin provides and what they have achieved in this environment we would be confident they’ll stay here.”
News that one of French rugby’s super clubs is sniffing around only confirms the suspicion this island is now deemed as being open for transfer business thanks to the loss of Sexton to Racing Metro 92.
“That isn’t new to our game,” said the Australian. “It is the reality of professional sport but we will back our environment to give them the best chance to remain and achieve what they want to achieve in the game.”
Heaslip, O’Brien & Co will at least be joined in Dublin by Lote Tuqiri in the next week or, at the latest, fortnight with the former Wallaby wrapping up his Australian rugby league season at the weekend with Wests Tigers’ 50-22 mauling by North Queensland Tigers.
O’Connor coached Tuqiri at Leicester Tigers and spoke of the physicality the 6’4” powerhouse will bring to the reigning PRO12 and Amlin Challenge champions who are lacking in numbers behind the scrum.
“He’s at a bit of a loose end,” said O’Connor. “He’s finished up his rugby league career which he was very keen to do. I worked with him at Leicester where he went from to return to NRL. He has performed admirably in that. He’s had some injury worries but he is back playing and played last weekend. He is quite excited about the next chapter in his life.”
So too is Gordon D’Arcy who returned to competitive action for 71 minutes of Leinster’s season opener away to the Scarlets last Friday having missed both the PRO12 and Amlin finals because of injury last May.
Like O’Brien and Heaslip, D’Arcy’s contract expires next summer but the Wexford centre has ruled out the prospect of playing abroad beyond that and will sit down with his club and country coaches around Christmas and discuss a potential extension.
“I definitely want to stay on,” he said. “But it is not just me making a decision anymore. There is also my wife. There is also Leinster. There is also Ireland. I have to speak to Joe [Schmidt]. Am I in his plan for the World Cup? Am I not in his plans? Where does Leinster see the squad going? There are a huge amount of things. It will be a very, very easy decision when it comes around”.
Leinster play their first home game of the season, against Ospreys, at the RDS this Saturday.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
