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Angry Exiles slam Shane Geraghty for Northampton 'money' move
Chris Jones17 Apr 2009
London Irish claim Shane Geraghty's decision to join Northampton is motivated purely by money.
Geraghty's switch adds a real edge to tomorrow's Premiership clash between the clubs at Northampton, with Irish needing a win to maintain a top-four place.
The England fly-half's season is over after he broke a wrist but his club have been resigned to the move after Geraghty invoked a clause in his contract at Christmas that allowed him to talk to other clubs even though he still had a year of his contract to run.
Geraghty came up through the ranks at London Irish and director of rugby Toby Booth said: "I knew this was coming but it is still disappointing. We were not prepared to be held over a barrel in terms of financial demands.
"Shane has decided to join Northampton and players make these kind of choices and have to live with them. It cannot be a purely rugby decision.
"Shane has played his last game for the club and having already signed a new No10 in Chris Malone, from Harlequins, we are going to announce the signing of another young outside-half who is currently playing in the First Division and start again."
Geraghty said. "This is an opportunity to hopefully force my way back into the England team."
Reader views (7)
Ruby Club 07.05.09! Toby Booth admits Rugby Union is now a professional sport and it's ok for Shane Geraghty to have moved for a better deal. Shame it took Booth such a long time to realise it! Toys now back in the pram. Good luck to Irish for the semi today!
- Johnners, Milton keynes, 09/05/2009 09:52
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Exactly David Davies. Rugby is a profession, no different from any other. Companies spend huge sums of money training people all the time, and some then move on. Thats life. I suspect there is more to come out of this story than meets the eye, and once he is at the Saints, I am sure it will be revealed. Toby Booth and London Irish might have been better served being more gracious. If he had not spoken in the terms he did, rather just wished him well, with perhaps a few simple words of regret that he was going, there would almost certainly have been no reaction to his comments on here or various other sites. Or, having seen the interview with Toby Booth on ITV 4 on Sunday evening, perhaps his problem is he did not know there was a clause in Shane's contract that he could look around for an alternative club before his contract was up, and was genuinely surprised he was leaving!!
- Johnners, MILTON KEYNES, 20/04/2009 12:08
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Rugby at this level is a money business. To be fair to Graghty, he has provided loyalty to the Exiles over the years. Money talks, he has bills to pay and his own financial goals too.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, 19/04/2009 09:12
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Not strange Johnners - LI have invested in Geraghty for little return ((1) because he hasn't yet developed to be able play general at fly half and (2) he is injury prone) and he now chooses to move on which I think is disloyal. No doubt you are right and he and Northampton will fulfill their better potential sometime in the future - meantime LI are at the top of the league with every chance of making the play offs without him really playing this year.
- Mike, london, 18/04/2009 17:49
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Strange that Mike of London thinks that Shane does not have loyalty and character. Presumably he did when he was playing at L.I. and does not lose those characteristics overnight because he is joining a club with more potential in the next two years. Also if he was underpaid at L.I. why should he not move for a better deal? After all it is a professional sport now.
- Johnners, Milton keynes, 18/04/2009 10:41
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Shane is an excellent player and has prooved on numerous occasions that he is the real deal, but has been unlucky with injuries. However, its a great signing by Northampton, and i'm sure we will see some excellent play from this young talent soon.
- Grey A, Windsor, 17/04/2009 13:34
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Irish name but Geraghty has not yet proved he is the real deal, playing wise - he has never really delivered for Irish. For the best players who win the biggest tournaments, Rugby will always be a game of loyalty and character, which is why Geraghty is unlikely ever to make it to world class level.
- Mike, london, 17/04/2009 11:58
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