LEINSTER COACH MATT O’CONNOR told reporters, following his side’s Pro12 final triumph, they would be the first to know if the province was moving for a new outside centre.
Following the departure of the retired Brian O’Driscoll, the former Leicester Tigers coach seems to have exhausted internal inquiries [Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne] while top southern hemisphere stars are unlikely to move to Europe until after World Cup 2015. It would not be too much of a stretch, then, to believe reports emanating from Australia that O’Connor is shopping for centres in the NRL [rugby league].
The Telegraph in Australia has run a piece that suggests South Sydney Rabbitohs centre Ben Te’o is being lined up as O’Driscoll’s replacement. It reports: “Te’o confirmed last week that he would be leaving NRL club South Sydney [owned by actor Russell Crowe] at the end of the season, but added he had not made a decision on where he would play next.”
Te’o's mother is English and there have been previous reports of a switch to Top 14 rugby for the 27-year-old but O’Connor could use his Australian connections to coax him to Dublin. O’Connor has a league background, having played for Hunter Mariners and Paris Saint-Germain in the mid 1990s.
Here is a big hit on occasional All Black Sonny Bill Williams back in March.
Te’o had this welcome for Ashley Harrison back in 2009 when he was a Brisbane Bronco:
Occasional tries, fierce in defence, big-hit merchant. Right up Matt O’Connor’s street.
What do you make of the latest speculation on the vacant Leinster 13 jersey?
Here’s hoping he learns how to use his arms in the tackle before he arrives
Leinster need to focus on attack again. The reason the season tickets are slow moving is because we fear a Leicester mind set in the RDS.
Here’s hoping this is just wind-up
Season tickets are probably a bit slow because of lack of success in Europe over fear of Leicester style play. Who care what you play like if you are successful ?
Leinster fans do. If we wanted up the jumper defensive rugby, we’d support Munster
Leo they’ve sold over 12000, I’d hardly call that slow moving!
They had no problem being Lunster fans for years anyway…..
Ya, rugby aristocracy are we ? Im sure any of the players and most of the fans would rather extra European Cups. You sound like the rugby equivalent of a Tottenham Hotspur fan.
Hi Rory- I’m not sure of the exact number and hopefully they will sell them ALL. They have however extended the early bird pricing and there’s always a reason for that. I believe rightly or wrongly that MOC is not a big believer in local and is very conservative in his thought processes. All this chat about need to for foreign imports is worrying particularly in light of the temporary Tuqiri signing at beginning of the season…..anyway I’ve been long time season ticket holder and unlike every other year I haven’t resigned yet…if I knew Madigan was in at 10 I’d sign now but….
McFadden, Fitzie, Reid, Madigan, Ringrose, Macken
O’Connor needs to believe in his players
All I’ve seen there was two shoulder charges, hardly good clips too show!
I would prefer to see a move internally rather than this lad joining…
Pass. Why bring in an unproven foreigner? I think both Ian Madigan and Noel Reid have the skill set and athletic ability to play 13. If they could pick up the slightly different running lines, and learn how to defend there (with help from BOD maybe) that could be the answer. Plus, are they big/physical/direct enough to play 12 internationally? There’s probably more scope for skilful, slightly smaller players to play 13. Think Conrad Smith vs Ma’a Nonu. That’s my take on it anyway. It’s possibly unlikely that it would happen though
Not that I want to see the Irish provincial teams suffer in any European competition but I would be much happier if we produced our own players for the better of our national team. Ireland all the way!!!
He usually plays in the forwards , 12 is second row in League. I don’t know how he would get on isolated in the centers from my knowledge of the Rabbitos
Want him to do a Sonny Bill, but he’s pretty unique
He is no SBW that’s for sure
Just to clarify as there were a few comments on it, shoulder charge hits are legal in league, they don’t have the “wrap the arm” rule that exists in union. You just can’t barge the neck or head area,
I don’t know much about this fella, but if he’s on the cheap, I don’t see why not, give him a year or two contract and see how he goes. If nothing else he looks like a pretty serious athlete.
Very unlikely we’ll uncover the next SBW, but we do need extra depth in the backs and are running out of signing options at this point. If we’re making a signing though, I’d rather see a good project player from super rugby than a punt on a league convert, but even if he doesn’t work it, there are plenty of options to try in the centre to find a combination that works from D’Arcy, Madigan, Reid, Fitzgerald, Kirchner, Macken & McFadden as well as Ringrose coming through, who’s been the star of the show for the U20′s at the world cup.
No, they just banned the shoulder charge this season.
Well, when the highlights are from. Basically, stop giving out about shoulder charges as though those clips are from union..
Te’o? Surely to be renamed Tayto?
Aren’t all the NIQ centre spots gone??
He’s uncapped, so if he does arrive, he’ll be a project player. Leinster opened up their project spot by loaning Quinn Roux to Connacht