Heineken Champions Cup - Semi-Finals

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Strange to see Finn Russell kind of emotionally invested and annoyed in a match. He must have been on a hell of a bonus!

On Leinster, its not like they are poaching players developed from all over Ireland (at least, not to my understanding) its that their player development output is kicking every other NH side/region in the teeth. If they continue to do that I hope they win every tournament until the end of time.

I'll be the first to complain if dominance is gained by a super team being assembled via large salaries, but if its through your hard work developing kids into international stars then I've no complaints. I doubt Leinster's catchment area of 2.5 million is bigger than some areas covered by English, French or Scottish sides. It's definitely significantly smaller than the catchment areas of some Australian, Argentinian and South African sides too.

 

[big ginger 8]

I don't think Toulouse are hurting for internationals or money either.

The only players in the 23 not developed by the Leinster academy are JGP, Lowe, Henshaw and Ala'alatoa.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

On Leinster, its not like they are poaching players developed from all over Ireland (at least, not to my understanding) its that their player development output is kicking every other NH side/region in the teeth. If they continue to do that I hope they win every tournament until the end of time.

I'll be the first to complain if dominance is gained by a super team being assembled via large salaries, but if its through your hard work developing kids into international stars then I've no complaints. I doubt Leinster's catchment area of 2.5 million is bigger than some areas covered by English, French or Scottish sides. It's definitely significantly smaller than the catchment areas of some Australian, Argentinian and South African sides too.

This. It's not that they have bought in a load of internationals to help the team, it's that the club has developed so many good players they ended up as internationals and the club now reaps the rewards. I think if you are developing the players and you keep them, it's perfectly fair if you end up with a squad full of internationals.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

So are they rediculously under paid? Because no way in England could a prem team afford to have that many full internationals in their squad? As well as the rest pf the squad.

Leinster's playing budget is €10m, from something I read the other week - guessing that includes central contract payments

I don't see any issue with it - they're producing all these players (minus the kiwis) that then go on to become internationals. If there's no salary cap (and there isn't) then they shouldn't be forced to disperse their players to other teams just because they're successful/have a good academy.

To an extent that's what happened with Saracens - except they did have a salary cap they were supposed to adhere to, so when their players started becoming internationals they shouldn't have been keeping them all

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Yeah I think any salary cap system should have allowances for club grown players (10% reduction of salary for every year spent at the club before turning 21 or something along those lines).

I agree with everything said re us developing our own talent, I acknowledge that we have some serious advantages over a lot of other clubs but capitalising on that to build a strong squad is why we've been such a force over the last 10 years. Buying success will always result in peaks and troughs, I think this is more sustainable but admittedly we'll find ourselves with holes in the squad and lack of depth at times like our front five the last two years before a few breakout seasons and lads developing on early promise.

Still not over the line yet, La Rochelle in France is a tough ask and ROG will have watched a lot more of Leinster than anyone in the Ster camp will have watched LAR.

 

[Scotty]

Leinster's playing budget is €10m, from something I read the other week - guessing that includes central contract payments

I don't see any issue with it - they're producing all these players (minus the kiwis) that then go on to become internationals. If there's no salary cap (and there isn't) then they shouldn't be forced to disperse their players to other teams just because they're successful/have a good academy.

To an extent that's what happened with Saracens - except they did have a salary cap they were supposed to adhere to, so when their players started becoming internationals they shouldn't have been keeping them all

Ahh right, i didnt know they didnt have a salary cap at all and fair play to them for having ireland qualified and home grown players for most pf their squad. Its great to see.

In the cap for us there should be a reduction for homegrown players and another reduction for EQP players.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

In the cap for us there should be a reduction for homegrown players and another reduction for EQP players.

There is the former: £600k per season (up to £50k per player - so realistically only covers 12 academy graduates)
Better than nothing but doesn't cover half of what the reduction is
There is also £80k per EPS player, but only for a maximum of four players (£400k max)

So if you've a strong academy you can get up to £1m more added on to your cap (...which is being reduced by £1.4m)

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Ahh right, i didnt know they didnt have a salary cap at all and fair play to them for having ireland qualified and home grown players for most pf their squad. Its great to see.

In the cap for us there should be a reduction for homegrown players and another reduction for EQP players.

Yeah the cap should only be a burden for teams trying to buy in talent. Teams who grow their own and contribute to the national side should benefit from it. Should be based on a % cut off the salary for any academy products and a flat rate per player for EQPs.

 

[munstermuffin]

Technically Leinster do have salary cap. All 4 provinces get budgets. But their wage bill won't have to pay centrally contracted players.
So example - Munsters wage bill has to pay everyone except Murray, O'Mahony, Earls and Beirne.
Leinster avoid maybe paying 10 players or so from their wage bill.
Point is it kind of rewards you the more you produce. The more top end internationals you make the more free wage bill you get.