Out of contract players at Irish provinces

[psychic duck]

Here is the best list I could find of out of contract players at the Irish provinces for next season, obviously there are more but I couldn't find anything more on the internet

Connacht
Gavin Duffy
Ray Ofisa (SAM) - a possible departure if Faloon signs?
Kyle Tonetti

Leinster
Matt Berquist (NZL) - Biarritz
Isaac Boss
Damian Browne
Isa Nacewa (FJI)
Eoin Reddan
Brad Thorn (NZL) - will return back to Fukuoka Sanix Blues after loan deal expires
Heinke van der Merwe (RSA)
Nathan White (NZL) - Connacht

Munster
Peter Borlase (NZL) - likely to be released, could stay at Connacht if he impresses them
Declan Cusack - possibly to be released
Wian du Preez (RSA)
Billy Holland - likely to be released
Johne Murphy
Mick O'Driscoll - likely to retire
Tomás O'Leary - said to have priced himself out of a move to Perpignan, but move to France still possible
Donnacha Ryan - future depends on whether he is given an IRFU contract, rumoured to have interest from Leinster at one point
Peter Stringer - has contract offer
Save Tokula (NZL) - on a short term contract, likely to be released
David Wallace - has contract offer

Ulster
Tim Barker
Rory Best
Nigel Brady - has contract offer
Simon Danielli (SCO) - released to make way for Bowe, possibly to Wasps?
Willie Faloon - linked to Connacht
Craig Gilroy
Luke Marshall
Stefan Terblanche (RSA) - on a short term contract, likely to either retire or head back to the Sharks
Pedrie Wannenburg (RSA) - linked to a move to France
Ian Whitten - Exeter

 

[Feicarsinn]

I'd imagine that we'll be hanging onto Browne, the two scrum halfs and Isa without too much trouble. I could see us losing both props as McGrath and Hagan have shown themselves to be adequate replacements for Healy and Ross. I'd quite like to keep VDM on another season though, as I don't think McGrath is ready to be the number 2 loosehead just yet.

 

[munstermuffin]

Wian has another year with us I think and wel Donnacha Ryan from what I've been hearing is just battling for a central contract and unlikely he'll go to Leinster as there will be no real gain in him doing so.
Douggie may be backs coach next year and possibly kept on as a squad player, Borlase is on trial basically with Connacht and Wally is nearing completion of a new (provincal) deal.

Rest are close with Deccie Cusack being offered deals from lower clubs in UK and Billy Holland possibly going to Connacht.
Stringer could possibly stay if TOL goes and from what I hear up in Dublin Nacewa won't be going anywhere (although rumoured that he wants 15 jersey not 14) and Thorn may be local next year.

 

[Feicarsinn]

We'll be having none of Nacewa moving. Best foreign signing we've ever had whihc is pretty impressive when you consider the influence Rocky and Hines had.

Thorn will be contracted in Japan next season again won't he? I can't see him getting out of that easily.

 

[munstermuffin]

We'll be having none of Nacewa moving. Best foreign signing we've ever had whihc is pretty impressive when you consider the influence Rocky and Hines had.

Thorn will be contracted in Japan next season again won't he? I can't see him getting out of that easily.

As I said Nacewa won't be leaving but he does want to be fullback and not a winger. And yeah Thorn is contracted to Japan and this is techniclly a loan but was rumours if it worked out Schmidt would've wanted him next season possibly to try develop and fast track a few youngsters and use his experience as well as talent

 

[Feicarsinn]

Well yeah, you'd be foolish to turn down Brad Thorn for an extra year if you could get him. Would make a decent bit of sense too. I'd imagine the kind of experience he could pass on to younger players would be immense. At the moment we've got Leo Cullen who is starting to show his age rapidly, Devin Toner who his finally starting to look like the player he should be (was bloody brilliant on the weekend, I have a feeling he may be Ireland's long term solution at 5), Damien Browne who's never going to be more than he is now and then there's Mark Flanagan, Ciaran Ruddock and Ben Marshall in the academy. Flanagan especially looks promising. Getting the likes of those three (and indeed Toner) playing and training with one of the best, most professional locks ever to play the game would be bloody brilliant for Irish rugby.

 

[Peat]

A more complete Ulster list

Barker T. 2012
Best R. 2012
Brady N. 2012
Danielli S. 2012
Faloon W. 2012
Gilroy C. 2012
Marshall L. 2012
Wannenburg P. 2012
Whitten I. 2012

Black C. - end unknown
Cronin J. - status unknown
Macklin A. - status unknown
McAllister P. - end unknown
McComish M. - end unknown
Porter I. - status unknown
Spence N. - end unknown

Annett N. - development
Jackson P. - development
McKinney J. - development

Danielli will be cut free, Terblanche will be retiring and even if he doesn't we can't sign him due to NIQ restrictions. Right now it seems likely that Wannenburg will head for France, but I wouldn't place my mortgage on that.

I'd expect us to re-sign every body on the top list not mentioned so far with a particular emphasis on Best, Gilroy and Marshall. I'd prefer to keep Barker and Whitten but wouldn't be that fussed if they went.

Black and McComish almost definitely have a year to run on their contracts but no one knows for sure. The rest in the second list probably contains a few expiring contracts. Keeping Spence, McAllister and Macklin are musts, I wouldn't be surprised or overly upset if Porter and Cronin were to leave, or if they were to stay.

I'd expect Annett and McKinney to be given fresh development contracts with Jackson probably bumped to a pro.

 

[psychic duck]

I'd imagine that we'll be hanging onto Browne, the two scrum halfs and Isa without too much trouble. I could see us losing both props as McGrath and Hagan have shown themselves to be adequate replacements for Healy and Ross. I'd quite like to keep VDM on another season though, as I don't think McGrath is ready to be the number 2 loosehead just yet.

with the IRFU cut back on non Irish qualified players coming in, it looks almost certain that White will depart as he's third choice

Wian has another year with us I think and wel Donnacha Ryan from what I've been hearing is just battling for a central contract and unlikely he'll go to Leinster as there will be no real gain in him doing so.
Douggie may be backs coach next year and possibly kept on as a squad player, Borlase is on trial basically with Connacht and Wally is nearing completion of a new (provincal) deal.

Rest are close with Deccie Cusack being offered deals from lower clubs in UK and Billy Holland possibly going to Connacht.
Stringer could possibly stay if TOL goes and from what I hear up in Dublin Nacewa won't be going anywhere (although rumoured that he wants 15 jersey not 14) and Thorn may be local next year.

according to this article du Preez was signed on a 2 year contract
http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/7741.php

surprised Wallace isn't retiring and also Flannery is injured so much he should retire as well

A more complete Ulster list

Barker T. 2012
Best R. 2012
Brady N. 2012
Danielli S. 2012
Faloon W. 2012
Gilroy C. 2012
Marshall L. 2012
Wannenburg P. 2012
Whitten I. 2012

can't see Best, Gilroy or Marshall leaving

the rest are a possibility, as some of the reserve Ulster players have been playing poorly in the RaboPro12 side, Whitten perhaps has had his chances and now should move over for Gaston or Cochrane or somebody, Brady isn't too good, Faloon may want more starts, Danielli going is a certainty

 

[coonor]

White has singed for Connacht for next season.... great signing by them he's a really goo player.

 

[Feicarsinn]

good news for Connacht as Loughney is really bad, no idea who thought he was better than Hagan to play in the Wolfhounds

Quality signing for Connacht. I've been really impressed with what I've seen with White, strong scrummager, good around the field. Fair play to the westies, some serious intent shown by getting him.

 

[big ginger 8]

Yeah the Chiefs must be annoyed they don't have him on their books. Wasn't bad for Leinster but was probably hindering Hagan's development. Will be good for Connacht.

 

[monkeypigeon]

Surprised Wallace isn't retiring and also Flannery is injured so much he should retire as well

Agree about Flannerry, but I guess so long as someone is willing to pay him to be injured he's going to stay put.

As for Wallace, if he'd played this season then maybe there would be some talk of retirement this season. But after a 8 months and a missed world cup out injured, I'd imagine that he's pumped at the idea of another season (or two) of rugby.

He was playing great rugby up until his injury so he still has a year or two left even if he can play only 60 minutes a match or play as an impact sub.

 

[welshglory]

Wallace still looks very fit for a 35 year old. He should be able to play on for a couple more years

 

[munstermuffin]

Just on Wallace and Flannery issues.
Wally looking fit as ever and yes he got paid but BOD is same and any player who suffers injury which is paid by insurance on players contracts.
As for Fla he is on unpaid basis while he gets to root of his injuries. So not exactly costing money