Jordi packing his bags

[bails]

Jordi- my favourite Leinster player. Who will ever forget the day in Wycombe when he shunned the players seats to come stand in the terrace behind the goal with the fans

Seems he is doing a Conway/Hagan - playing his best rugby once its announced hes leaving

[naraic]

Jordi- my favourite Leinster player. Who will ever forget the day in Wycombe when he shunned the players seats to come stand in the terrace behind the goal with the fans

Seems he is doing a Conway/Hagan - playing his best rugby once its announced hes leaving

Jordi has always been an amazing player and his level has always risen once he got a run of games. Always remember he deservedly started for Ireland against the All Blacks.

To say he is playing his best rygbybonce it is announced he is leaving is to disrespect the level of his contributions.

[Oldschool]

Jordi- my favourite Leinster player. Who will ever forget the day in Wycombe when he shunned the players seats to come stand in the terrace behind the goal with the fans

Seems he is doing a Conway/Hagan - playing his best rugby once its announced hes leaving

Jordi has always been an amazing player and his level has always risen once he got a run of games. Always remember he deservedly started for Ireland against the All Blacks.

To say he is playing his best rygbybonce it is announced he is leaving is to disrespect the level of his contributions.

+1

[neiliog93]

Jordi- my favourite Leinster player. Who will ever forget the day in Wycombe when he shunned the players seats to come stand in the terrace behind the goal with the fans

Seems he is doing a Conway/Hagan - playing his best rugby once its announced hes leaving

Very unfair comment. Aside from a brief period in the 2015-16 season (which made certain sections of the media and Shelbyville label him 'soft' and put him in a hate bracket with the Kearneys and McFadden), he has been consistently excellent for us when fit and got the first try against the ABs in Soldier Field. An international class all-rounder. His performance when Ireland beat England 19-9 in 2015 also stands out in the memory.

He's a victim of the fact that Leinster have the best back-row depth of any rugby club, anywhere in the world, including Toulon, Racing, the Crusaders, Hurricanes, etc.

[Logorrhea]

I didn't read Bails post as an attack on the player.

For whatever reason (fitness, run of games etc), Jordi is playing as well now, if not better, than he has been for years. I think he's been our best backrow forward all year.

[Ruckedtobits]

I didn't read Bails post as an attack on the player.

For whatever reason (fitness, run of games etc), Jordi is playing as well now, if not better, than he has been for years. I think he's been our best backrow forward all year.

It's a very difficult analysis. JVdF, Dan Leavy, Jack Conan, Rhys Ruddock, and Max Deegan have all had superb performances since September, many of them more than once. SO'B and Jamie are obviously our highest profile International back-rows but for various reasons have not had that impact for Leinster this Season....thus far.

Jordi has had some great days this Season, and last Season and the previous Season. But more than anything, he seems to react to competition, whether from within or externally, and thrive in it. So long as he's with my team I'm delighted. That's why I'm not looking forward to his departure.

[Oldschoolsocks]

Jordi- my favourite Leinster player. Who will ever forget the day in Wycombe when he shunned the players seats to come stand in the terrace behind the goal with the fans

Seems he is doing a Conway/Hagan - playing his best rugby once its announced hes leaving

Very unfair comment. Aside from a brief period in the 2015-16 season (which made certain sections of the media and Shelbyville label him 'soft' and put him in a hate bracket with the Kearneys and McFadden), he has been consistently excellent for us when fit and got the first try against the ABs in Soldier Field. An international class all-rounder. His performance when Ireland beat England 19-9 in 2015 also stands out in the memory.

He's a victim of the fact that Leinster have the best back-row depth of any rugby club, anywhere in the world, including Toulon, Racing, the Crusaders, Hurricanes, etc.

don't mind the h8rs in turnipistan Neilog - they'll never forgive Jordi for Ger Earls never getting his cap

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I wonder if there's any chance of Jordi backing out of this? Kiss is gone and it looks like Gibbes might follow him. It's a complete mess up there in general so would be surprised if he wasn't having second thoughts.

[mildlyinterested]

probably too late now..

[simonokeeffe]

I wonder if there's any chance of Jordi backing out of this? Kiss is gone and it looks like Gibbes might follow him. It's a complete mess up there in general so would be surprised if he wasn't having second thoughts.

Gibbes would be the potential deal breaker for him IMO. Not sure he will but were he to dig his heels in over this I reckon he would be able to stay as Ulster wouldnt sue an Irish player and or province

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I wonder if there's any chance of Jordi backing out of this? Kiss is gone and it looks like Gibbes might follow him. It's a complete mess up there in general so would be surprised if he wasn't having second thoughts.

Apologies for quoting myself but this morning's news made me think of this again.

[mildlyinterested]

I'd imagine Jordi would have to force it and I can't see him doing that.

[simonokeeffe]

I wonder if there's any chance of Jordi backing out of this? Kiss is gone and it looks like Gibbes might follow him. It's a complete mess up there in general so would be surprised if he wasn't having second thoughts.

Apologies for quoting myself but this morning's news made me think of this again.

If not Ruddock might have to play 8 a lot. Weve lots of flankers but low on specialist 8s
SOB cant be relied upon (availability)

Conan is class obviously but Deegan has a long way to go

[paddyor]

I wonder if there's any chance of Jordi backing out of this? Kiss is gone and it looks like Gibbes might follow him. It's a complete mess up there in general so would be surprised if he wasn't having second thoughts.

Apologies for quoting myself but this morning's news made me think of this again.

If not Ruddock might have to play 8 a lot. Weve lots of flankers but low on specialist 8s
SOB cant be relied upon (availability)

Conan is class obviously but Deegan has a long way to go

Don't we have Doris coming thru as well?

[mildlyinterested]

Don't we have Doris coming thru as well?

Yes.

[simonokeeffe]

Anything befalls Conan then I wouldnt be comfortable at all with Deegan starting a big game (or Doris if hes behind Deegan)

Conan will be missing a few league games with Ireland so I'd stick Ruddock at 8 unless they were gimme fixtures

[jimbobjoe]

Anything befalls Conan then I wouldnt be comfortable at all with Deegan starting a big game (or Doris if hes behind Deegan)

Conan will be missing a few league games with Ireland so I'd stick Ruddock at 8 unless they were gimme fixtures

Really? I think Deegan looks more than ready for the big days.

[simonokeeffe]

Anything befalls Conan then I wouldnt be comfortable at all with Deegan starting a big game (or Doris if hes behind Deegan)

Conan will be missing a few league games with Ireland so I'd stick Ruddock at 8 unless they were gimme fixtures

Really? I think Deegan looks more than ready for the big days.

I just think he needs more time in the oven.Hes made a lot of mistakes/handling errors and IMO is still developing phsyically. Maybe Im judging him harshly because of the hype but I dont think hes ready for the big boys games yet, needs more games v dragons and kings and zebres and Ulsters next season for me

[Flash Gordon]

I wonder if there's any chance of Jordi backing out of this? Kiss is gone and it looks like Gibbes might follow him. It's a complete mess up there in general so would be surprised if he wasn't having second thoughts.

Gibbes would be the potential deal breaker for him IMO. Not sure he will but were he to dig his heels in over this I reckon he would be able to stay as Ulster wouldnt sue an Irish player and or province

Is there evidence that Gibbes would walk? He's literally just in the door presumably for a project over a few years. There have been high profile re-signings (Hendo, Stockdale, Gilroy) and some good signings (Moore, Jordi). Presumably they will shop again - some of that dependent on how the Jackson/Olding trial works out).

From a Leinster perspective - Jamie is gone, O'Brien is largely unavailable so anything we get is a bonus. We standardly have 2-3 backrowers unavailable through injury and VDF, Ruddock, Leavy, Conan and Murphy are internationals so we are actually creaking a bit. Wonder if the IRFU would relax the stance on Fardy playing backrow ow that Ryan's in the international frame?

I suspect Joe has spoken to Jordi and said that he's very much in his plans but needs to be playing. With the way things have developed he probably would get game time but a U-turn would be pretty bad form in my opinion. It's one thing to walk away from a contract with moneyball teams like Sarries, Wasps or Toulon another thing altogether for an Irish player to walk out on an Irish province. We tend to have long memories.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I think Gibbes said last week that he's staying but there was a story that he met Cheika over Christmas and was asked to be the Aussie forwards coach.

I'm not saying that I think Jordi will stay, but the situation is very different now to when he announced that he was going, and if I was him then I think I would be looking for a way out.