Jordi packing his bags

[suisse]

I'd love to know if offers were on the table abroad. I don't see why not as he's an international back row forward from one of, if not the, best academies and teams in Europe. He's worked with Michael Cheika, Joe Schmidt and Leo Cullen. He's played - and scored - in a world cup QF and played - and scored - in a win over New Zealand.

There are players in Ireland who want to play for Ireland. They'll ignore better pay offers from abroad to fight for a place in the Irish squad. There are others who leave knowing full well the consequences. Which one is right is a matter of choice. I'm disappointed we're losing Murphy but fully understand why he's moving. The fact that he's staying in Ireland, even if it is a major step back in terms of a province, I appreciate it that he's still fighting for that Irish jersey. Leinster have lost a very good flanker/versatile back rower. Ulster and Ireland will benefit from this. Good luck, Jordi.

[blockhead]

Gutted to hear this, brilliant player and so reliable and versatile. Fair play to him for taking the plunge though, I'm guessing he could have got more money elsewhere but is backing himself to make the World Cup squad by doing this. That Ulster pack could look an awful lot better with Jordi, a fit Marty Moore (although I still don't see that happening), and Dooley or another LH from another province. Hope it goes really well for him.

Having watched that Rock senior cup team in 2009 I wouldn't have believed anyone who told me that none of Jordi, Conway, or Macken would be playing for us by the time they were 27.

I don't agree about the logjam being cleared though. It certainly helps, but if we pick a backrow of Ruddock, SOB, and Conan, with VDF on the bench this Sunday, then we're still leaving out Leavy, Jordi, and Deegan, and that's with Heaslip still unavailable. It's impossible to predict injuries etc but I still think someone else will need to go.

You're not thinking this through LRPH.
What about international windows, when some of them are unavailable?
Or if one or more is injured?
We need to have cover in those scenarios.
Jordi gone is enough.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

It'll be interesting to see how long the contract is, could see it being quite a short one just to cover the World Cup and maybe the season after it.

[blockhead]

I know we don't sell players, like what happens in soccer, but what about compo for the Academy that produced said player?
We'ed be making a fortune right now from the other provinces.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I don't agree about the logjam being cleared though. It certainly helps, but if we pick a backrow of Ruddock, SOB, and Conan, with VDF on the bench this Sunday, then we're still leaving out Leavy, Jordi, and Deegan, and that's with Heaslip still unavailable. It's impossible to predict injuries etc but I still think someone else will need to go.

You're not thinking this through LRPH.
What about international windows, when some of them are unavailable?
Or if one or more is injured?
We need to have cover in those scenarios.
Jordi gone is enough.

I have thought it through and mentioned injuries and unavailability in my post, hence my example of the guys who could be left out on Sunday.

We had Ruddock, SOB, Heaslip, and Leavy all unavailable last Saturday and yet Deegan only made the bench and got ten minutes. If we lost another backrow then yeah we might be short in one or two games but that's really all we're talking about. We'd still have great depth and could cope.

I'm not suggesting Leinster should get rid of anyone, I'm suggesting that players might need to leave for game time and that we can cope if they do. Although if nobody had decided to leave then I think there was an argument for Leinster moving someone on in order to keep the most talented guys on board.

[Lar]

I will be very sorry to see Jordi go. Fantastic player and very highly rated by Schmidt which says a huge amount in my book. But given the rate of attrition in the modern game Jordi has the major attribute of versatility, which is why I am sorry to see him leave and why I suspect he would have been Ulster's first choice of those back-rowers likely to be available.

The fact we survived without him for about a year must also have been a factor in Leinster being able to cope with him leaving but look at how often he has played since he has been fit again and we see how badly we will miss him.

[The Doc]

I hope he negotiated his contract in Euros !!!

[neiliog93]

Sad to hear from this but from his point of view (and Ireland's), it makes sense with our depth in the back row. He will add real pace and breakdown ability to Ulster's back row, great signing for them.

[simonokeeffe]

It'll be interesting to see how long the contract is, could see it being quite a short one just to cover the World Cup and maybe the season after it.

Back in 2 years when Heaslip and SOB retire to stud

[Icarus]

Will he have to cross a hard border?

[Oldschool]

Will he have to cross a hard border?

More importantly, what coinage will he be paid in?

[ronk]

We will miss his ability to play across the backrow. Obviously highly rated by Gibbes and Schmidt and ridiculed by Munster fans. Any one of those factors on their own would be a positive but all three show that Jordi is a very good player.

Dominic Ryan probably stayed a season or two to long for his own good so Jordi is right to go now and hopefully reignite his career in green also.

Undervalued probably because of our backrow riches but a player I like a lot. If it is true I hope he has a great last few months in blue.

Jordi has achieved a lot more at a higher level than Dom. Jordi was injured and isn’t fully match fit yet. He doesn’t need to move to reignite his career.

[TerenureJim]

Will he have to cross a hard border?

More importantly, what coinage will he be paid in?

I just hope the IRFU ran the plan past Arlene first

[neiliog93]

He doesn't need to reignite his career, but we just have too many quality back rows right now.

[the spoofer]

Confirmed by Leinster today.

[domhnallj]

Will he have to cross a hard border?

More importantly, what coinage will he be paid in?

Sterling I would imagine...the poor fool.

[arsebiscuits1]

2 year deal.

I can see him becoming a very important player for Ulster.

Assuming Coetzee doesn't come back and Henderson stays in the row he is going straight to the top of the pecking order at Ulster and I would like to see him truly nail down a position

[Flash Gordon]

Very sorry to see him go, the guy plays across the back row and is a super professional. The reality is that, given the attritional nature of the position, you need 2 international class backrows and he's in that frame - I still think he'd have got plenty of game time.

As an aside, should Leinster be rewarded for the supply to other provinces? And where is the accountability for the dire output from other provinces? Ulster have been awful in terms of bringing players through in the last 5 years.

[molloyjh]

Very sorry to see him go, the guy plays across the back row and is a super professional. The reality is that, given the attritional nature of the position, you need 2 international class backrows and he's in that frame - I still think he'd have got plenty of game time.

As an aside, should Leinster be rewarded for the supply to other provinces? And where is the accountability for the dire output from other provinces? Ulster have been awful in terms of bringing players through in the last 5 years.

We have more guys on central contract, which frees up money for the rest of the squad.

[mildlyinterested]

Very sorry to see him go, the guy plays across the back row and is a super professional. The reality is that, given the attritional nature of the position, you need 2 international class backrows and he's in that frame - I still think he'd have got plenty of game time.

As an aside, should Leinster be rewarded for the supply to other provinces? And where is the accountability for the dire output from other provinces? Ulster have been awful in terms of bringing players through in the last 5 years.

We have more guys on central contract, which frees up money for the rest of the squad.

not exactly a reward is it?