Mads to Bordeaux - confirmed

[ronk]

If he was playing well maybe he'd have a chance. But getting an injury is not what he needs and even Franno can see what a mess was made in public.

In a marginal call it's easy to make him an example.

He may as well go for cash and playing time now.

[tingman]

if Bristol will top Stg 500,000 then i say take it Mads.....if it happens for him down the line in terms of Int'l call up so
much the better....

[ronk]

History may make it look like a good move for him. He got out at the peak of his marketability just as his place may have been about to come under pressure from the next generation. A few good years may keep him on the radar.

[ronk]

Reports saying it's a done deal. 3 year contract on world class wages.

Happy for him but not good news for keeping young Irish players here.

[ronk]

It's on the Bristol site.

[Peg Leg]

The Bristol Bulldog

[cormac]

Strange move, in the short term at least. I'm sure he'll run amok in the Championship next season though,

[Dave Cahill]

He's young to be retiring from competitive rugby

[MunsterSugar]

Reports saying it's a done deal. 3 year contract on world class wages.

Happy for him but not good news for keeping young Irish players here.

Why isn't it good for young irish guys. He left trying to prove a point but instead was made an example of.
He left thinking he'd be missed and now wasn't wanted back. Even Connacht said no. His international career is dead. Carbery and Byrne arrived and are better 10s. And a message is out leave and your out of Irish picture

[Dave Cahill]

Well Pat Lam has got his man for Bristol. Strange that he didn't seem that interested in signing him for Connacht.

[Dave Cahill]

Why isn't it good for young irish guys. He left trying to prove a point but instead was made an example of.
He left thinking he'd be missed and now wasn't wanted back. Even Connacht said no. His international career is dead. Carbery and Byrne arrived and are better 10s. And a message is out leave and your out of Irish picture

The example being that you can earn big bucks even at a fairly mediocre level overseas - thats the problem.

[johng]

Three year deal confirmed. Wow. He is unlikely to play for Ireland again in his 20s. Pity. He's a good bloke and a great player.

[MunsterSugar]

Why isn't it good for young irish guys. He left trying to prove a point but instead was made an example of.
He left thinking he'd be missed and now wasn't wanted back. Even Connacht said no. His international career is dead. Carbery and Byrne arrived and are better 10s. And a message is out leave and your out of Irish picture

The example being that you can earn big bucks even at a fairly mediocre level overseas - thats the problem.

Thing is though if that's their mentality they're better gone. Wages here are alot better than SH and majority of those lads stay in their prime.

[johng]

The good news is half a million bucks a year. The bad news is that you earn it in the RFU Championship and are dead to intl rugby.

It looks like he had no other option. (Heard rumours of Northampton wanting him to replace JJ) In that case it's not a bad deal for him. If intl rugby is gone then you might as well earn a few bob in a handy number. The length of the deal rules him out of the world cup though.

[domhnallj]

The good news is half a million bucks a year. The bad news is that you earn it in the RFU Championship and are dead to intl rugby.

It looks like he had no other option. (Heard rumours of Northampton wanting him to replace JJ) In that case it's not a bad deal for him. If intl rugby is gone then you might as well earn a few bob in a handy number. The length of the deal rules him out of the world cup though.

Wasn't the rumour for Northampton in that wage region? Strange he'd elect for Bristol who are almost definitely going down (and remember how long it took them to get up after relegation last time) unless he couldn't be arsed fighting it out with Myler for the 10.

[johng]

They are doing away with playoffs next season AFAIK

[Dave Cahill]

They are doing away with playoffs next season AFAIK

They are indeed

[Golf Man]

Why isn't it good for young irish guys. He left trying to prove a point but instead was made an example of.
He left thinking he'd be missed and now wasn't wanted back. Even Connacht said no. His international career is dead. Carbery and Byrne arrived and are better 10s. And a message is out leave and your out of Irish picture

The example being that you can earn big bucks even at a fairly mediocre level overseas - thats the problem.

Not like everyone didn't know that already

Madigan will be an example of a career falling off a cliff in one sense. Sure he'll make a pile (and fair play to him for that) but its very hard to see him doing anything rather than plugging away for the next couple of years - nothing at all wrong with that but compared to how he was feted its a bit come down

I actually think Madigan has probably overachieved - probably picked teh right time to go because he was going to be caught up at leinster and his stock would have been a lot lower then if he was angling for a move

[curates_egg]

Well Pat Lam has got his man for Bristol. Strange that he didn't seem that interested in signing him for Connacht.

Is it true he didn't want him at Connacht? I only followed it vaguely in the media but I thought an effort was made to get Mads to go to Munster or Connacht and he didn't want to?
Leaving out the international rugby thing, on the face of it - and all other things being equal - would you prefer to move to the driving wind and rain in Galway for 200-250k or move to Bordeaux for more than double that?

[Dave Cahill]

Well Pat Lam has got his man for Bristol. Strange that he didn't seem that interested in signing him for Connacht.

Is it true he didn't want him at Connacht? I only followed it vaguely in the media but I thought an effort was made to get Mads to go to Munster or Connacht and he didn't want to?
Leaving out the international rugby thing, on the face of it - and all other things being equal - would you prefer to move to the driving wind and rain in Galway for 200-250k or
move to Bordeaux for more than double that?

He didn't want to go to Munster, I know that for certain - the nature of the abuse he got from Munster supporters ruled out such a move. I don't know about Connacht at the time he first left, but a couple of weeks ago Connacht did a 'thanks but no thanks' when it was pointed out that Madigan was agitating for a move out of Bordeaux

If Ian were in Connacht I'd say he wouldn't have to break too much of a sweat to match what he'll get in Bristol. He'd be back in the international fold again, where the real advertising money is, he'd be popular out there - he's a clever, personable guy without artiface. And I'd pick Galway over Bristol 10 times out of 10 - Galway is one of Europe's best cities - the best that can be said about Bristol is that there is a direct train to Bath.