Rebels are resigned to losing star Sean McMahon to Japan deal

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17-05-17, 09:48
The InnFORCEr

Rebels are resigned to losing star Sean McMahon to Japan deal

May 17, 2017 9:43am|
by Melissa Woods, AAP|
Source: FOX SPORTS

MELBOURNE Rebels are resigned to losing Wallabies backrower Sean McMahon to Japan, with the Australian Rugby Union playing hard ball over his pay demands.

The 22-year-old, who has already played 15 Tests, is believed to be disillusioned with his treatment by the country’s rugby bosses and considering moving overseas.

While the ARU rolled out the red carpet for Kurtley Beale to return and bolster the NSW Waratahs and Wallabies, the ARU have shown little love for one of Australia’s most promising talents.

McMahon has an offer on the table of over $1 million from a Japanese club, while the ARU are only prepared to pay about one third of that.

McMahon returned to action for the first time this season last week after spending the past seven months sidelined following ankle surgery and a knee injury.

He showed with his cameo off the bench he’d lost none of his impact, almost lifting Melbourne to victory over Queensland.

If he gets through the next three Super Rugby games unscathed, he’ll be a leading contender to start in Australia’s back row for the Tests against Fiji, Scotland and Italy in June.

But money talks, and particularly when the wage gap is so extreme, but the uncertainty surrounding the Rebels’ future in the competition couldn’t be helping convince McMahon to stay.

Melbourne assistant coach Morgan Turinui believes players have already signed deals with other clubs because of the ARU’s failure to declare whether they would chop the club or the Western Force from next year’s downsized competition.

Turinui said he’d turned down an overseas coaching position to stay.

“It certainly wouldn’t have helped having less than perfect certainty about the club that gave him his opportunity, that backed him all the way, that got him to the Wallabies on the back of his own hard work and talent,” Turinui said.

“It must be hard for him to be sitting back and seeing these things unfold and I can’t see how it couldn’t be a factor.”

http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/re...ce95086bea9ec7
17-05-17, 09:48
The InnFORCEr

The ARU should be disgusted with itself.
17-05-17, 09:59
yungfen

To be fair he is asking for an lot of money that the ARU simply does not seem to have specially with impending potential massive payout through lost court battles!

Funny that it is a Japanese club dangling the 1 Million dollar carrot in front of McMahon; we should never have accepted the expansion. A Japan team does not belong in this competition ahead of existing super rugby teams.

McMahon is a very good rugby player but we are lucky in Australia to have a lot of gifted backrowers, so I would say let him go as he is asking for too much money.
17-05-17, 10:00
Alison

The ARU would not know how to be disgusted with itself. Disgust and contempt are only applicable to others, not them.
17-05-17, 10:05
jargan83

Is he going to the Sunwolves or a side in the Japanese Top League?
17-05-17, 10:33
yungfen

I believe that it is a Japanese Top League team; but the info so far does not indicate for which team....
17-05-17, 10:37
GIGS20

How much money did the ESRU throw at getting Beale back?

If that questions is answered, it might shed some light on why McMahon is disgusted!
17-05-17, 11:12
jono

Quote:

Originally Posted by GIGS20

How much money did the ESRU throw at getting Beale back?

If that questions is answered, it might shed some light on why McMahon is disgusted!

pretty easy to guess that between NSWRU and ARU, beale's package was more than 300k. Seeing as Mcmahon has apparently been countered a third of his reported $1mil offer from japan
17-05-17, 11:47
sittingbison

Quote:

Originally Posted by jono

pretty easy to guess that between NSWRU and ARU, beale's package was more than 300k. Seeing as Mcmahon has apparently been countered a third of his reported $1mil offer from japan

Gents you can make your own minds up what kurtley was offered by FUARU to make it worthwhile "getting out of bed"

Quote:

Originally Posted by not fake news

...Kurtley Beale will become the highest paid rugby player in England after putting pen to paper on a two-year contract with Wasps. Wallabies star Beale will be paid £750,000 per season, making him the best-paid player in the Aviva Premiership...
17-05-17, 11:53
beige

Quote:

Originally Posted by jargan83

Is he going to the Sunwolves or a side in the Japanese Top League?

I believe Top League sides are able to offer more money to foreign players than the Sunwolves.
17-05-17, 12:52
Kev

A move to a Jap club is a move backwards, if he's out of Super Rugby. That will reduce his ability let alone availability to play intl rugby. Perhaps he feels his 'brand' is worth it.

As for gifted backrowers ... where? Liam Gill has been the best thing to come out of Aussie back rows since G.Smith & Pocock. And he's gaining residency credentials in France ! Looking forward to seeing in 2019 6nations, just before the RWC.
17-05-17, 13:07
Kalahard

Im having deja vu here. Honey Badger going to Japan ring any bells?
17-05-17, 13:11
Sheikh

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kev

Liam Gill has been the best thing to come out of Aussie back rows since G.Smith & Pocock. And he's gaining residency credentials in France ! Looking forward to seeing in 2019 6nations, just before the RWC.

You mean Liam Gill, of the 15 Wallaby caps?
17-05-17, 13:23
sandgroperrugby

Liam has played for the wallabies so residence will not mean anything. Would love for him to come back though
17-05-17, 13:31
yungfen

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kev

As for gifted backrowers ... where? Liam Gill has been the best thing to come out of Aussie back rows since G.Smith & Pocock. And he's gaining residency credentials in France ! Looking forward to seeing in 2019 6nations, just before the RWC.

We have McCalman (needs to be injury free), Hardwick (Getting better and better and seems to have the same potential as McMahon), Chris Alcock, Scott Fardy, Lopeti Timani, George Smith and dare I say Hooper plus David Pocock who is on his sabbatical.....
17-05-17, 16:34
chibi

Japan need a kick in the pants for this, their own clubs are taking talent away from a competition that they are involved in, a competition that they damn well know is struggling.

It's a bloody débâcle.
17-05-17, 17:33
sloppy

Going to a japanese side is not a backwards move. Staying in aus super rugby is a backwards move none of them know how to win consistently. What a joke it is.