Word is filtering through in media that Kane Douglas, the 24-year-old Wallaby lock, is heading to Dublin next season to don the famous Leinster blue colours.
Douglas will be coached by fellow-Australian, Matt O’Connor, who is seeking to steady the ship at Leinster after a mixed season in cup and league so far.
Leinster sill sit at the top of the Pro12 standings with one game to go before the play-offs. However, even their most ardent fans will admit that they haven’t really set the house on fire in O’Connor’s first season in charge, having taken over the mantle from new Ireland coach Joe Schmidt.
Leinster have always benefited from having a strong lock combination in their winning seasons (think Brad Thorn). With the departure of three-time H Cup winner and club captain Leo Cullen, their need to have someone partner 6’9′ Devin Toner in the second-row department is strong.
At 6′ 7″, and 19 stone, he will form a daunting partnership with Toner, making them likely the tallest second-row combo in the Pro 12 and possibly in European club rugby.
Douglas’ decision to move is remarkable for a couple of reasons – he’s only 24, and he’s already qualified to play for Australia, and can’t play for another Test nation.
Ireland has had a strategy of selecting young players, who haven’t qualified to play for their birth country, and after a three-year residency become eligible to play for Ireland. It’s a strategy that has been queried on a number of levels, both for its perversion of the residency rules but also for whether its stated intent is actually true.
Richardt Strauss is the only player to have gained residency status and a couple of caps for Ireland. He’s competing for his position with Irish players, Rory Best and Sean Cronin, as well as the likes of Damian Varley in Munster.
Some of the other possible residency players or “project players” as they’ve been dubbed, haven’t really cut the mustard. A number of them have been ditched by their provincial clubs before they reach the three-year residency target, or else they have been left waiting in the wings while an Irish-born player gets ahead.
But Douglas is not up for grabs, and for the young lock to make a decision to up sticks and move north is remarkable at his age. There’s also a certain irony as he says good bye to his current coach, Michael Cheika, who helped build Leinster into the powerhouse force it is now.
Daws
Guest
None of them were burning the house down for selection though Tane. If Pocock, Hooper, Moore, Folau, Toomua or Cummins looked like heading over seas then I think there'd be a bit more introspection.
atlas
Guest
Connacht - must be an attractive place! "the Pat Lam-coached Connacht team is going to have a strong NZ content this coming season (in addition to Lam and three NZ coaching staff), at present the squad includes Rodney Ah You (Canterbury, NZ U-20, now in Ireland squad), Jake Heenan (Blues development, NZ U-20 captain, aiming for 3yr residency), George Naoupu (Canterbury, Highlanders), Miah Nikora (Taranaki +, Hurricanes, NZ U-21) and former Waikato/Chiefs players Nathan White and Craig Clarke; to be joined later this year by 2 further Chiefs players Bundee Aki and Mils Muliaina, as well as Blues hooker Tom McCartney."
jeznez
Roar Guru
Really not happy to hear this. I rate Douglas higher than most other commenters above and he would definitely be in my Wallaby 23 for the French. Fingers crossed he goes and returns as he has just started to really hit his straps IMO.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Maybe we'll just keep some of our locks rather than letting the Brumbies, Rebels and Force fill their squads with them aka Wykes, Pyle, Neville, Jones, Fardy and Carter....... Perhaps just to spite those who the we hate the Waratahs we could just invite one of those guys home? Or we'll have to dig deeper into the larder and find another developing lock. Skelton's younger brother is even bigger, will have to see how he is going in a couple of years.
Intotouch
Guest
If I remember correctly when Rocky came back to Australia it was after a year and a half solid of playing rugby (he went straight from the Southern to the Northern season) and was injured just before. I don't know anyone who has a body that can stand up to constant abuse. Hopefully Douglas will take a break.
Jimbo81
Guest
Tahs will just buy a new lock. The salary cap clearly doesn't apply to them. Winder if Simmonds will be offered now. Jerks.
Bakkies
Guest
Connacht have already signed Bundee Aki and are doing ok for 13s. Leinster could do with a 12 but don't another hooker.
Boomeranga
Guest
Isn't the call for Coleman an indication of what we are losing? Coleman has played how many starting games exactly, and that at Super Rugby level. Our best national teams aren't filled with bright new things.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
They could try Connacht. Lovely part of Ireland. Connemara is just a short way from Galway. Also some wonderful distilleries.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
It's not that bad. There's a good distillery Tullamore, great drop of Irish whiskey.
Bakkies
Guest
Faingaa twins could be next if their next offers are poor. The problem for clubs particularly in Ireland where there is a foreign player limit is that you have to recruit them both. A Faingaa would suit Munster who are looking for a 12 but there is a surplus of hookers. The Brumbies tried to keep one and drop the other it didn't work out. Despite being grown men they can't be seperated.
Blinky Bill of Bellingen NSW
Guest
Cheers for that Shaun. I knew Rocky was popular, even rumoured to be the best player BOD had player with and the chanting sounds as if it would have been like something out of Gladiator, so I'm happy for him. :) From my small world perspective though, he left Oz a bloody good player & returned from the UK a bit of a wreck & in my eyes a shadow of his former self. :( Here's hoping Kane Douglas returns an even better player. ;)
Combesy
Roar Guru
Yep agreed, think this just earnt Luke jones his call up to gold, and probably Coleman to make the squad or carter..
Tane Mahuta
Guest
Mowen, Douglas, Kimlin, Ioane, JOC, Mitchell, Palmer, Barnes, Ma'afu, Timani...TBA.
Chan WEE
Guest
who are the other 2nd rows ? to put it in another way, are u naming Dennis & JP as 2nd rows rather than 3rd rows?
Denby
Roar Rookie
I wish him the best of luck. As a Tah's supporter it will be a shame to see him go, I think he has had a good year and improved his aggression in the tackle contest. If I could get paid to travel the world playing sport, I would, so I think for him it is a great move.
ShaunOfTheFuzz
Guest
Having watched Rocky's season at Leinster, it felt like he suffered from the same malaise that a lot of B&I lions players suffer from when they get back when he returned to Australia. When he was playing in that Leinster pack, he was a big part of a breakout year for Leinster, which set them on a virtual 4 year domination of European Rugby, where he had capacity stadiums chanting "Rocky, Rocky, Rocky". The buzz around Leinster at the time must have been overwhelming and he was a huge fan favourite. FWIW though, he wouldn't have held down his position at Leinster for long, as a certain Sean O'Brien had been building a lot of momentum as his understudy.
Die hard
Roar Rookie
But maybe the pace of the games will suit him better. He might have better staying power. He might also be better game managed up north. The contests are quite different to Super Rugby or the NPC.
jameswm
Roar Guru
I think he's the 3rd best lock in NSW at present.
Justin3
Guest
Agreed WNM, I think he has been surpassed by a number or will be very shortly.