Stringer in action for Bath earlier this season.

Bath and Ireland Scrum Half Peter Stringer has recently been linked with a move back to Ireland and put into a BLUE jersey. Er… what?!

Bath have previously announced that Stringer would be leaving the professional club after the end of this season. It has now been revealed that Matt O’Connor, Leinster Head Coach, has expressed his interest in signing the 37 year old ex-Munster scrum half.

Without a club for the 2015/16 season, Leinster could pinch 98 Irish capped player and put him in the blue jersey. With Eoin Reddan and Isaac Boss likely to be tied up at the start of the season with World Cup duties, this leaves only one scrum half in the Leinster senior team with Pro12 experience – Luke McGrath and another in the academy ranks with Ireland u20 experience – Nick McCarthy.

Speaking Earlier on in the Leinster press conference, O’Connor indicated that they are in the market for an experienced 9 in the likelihood that they will be caught short at the start of the season, and Mr. Stringer looks like a great option.

We’re probably in a position where we might lose two nines for the World Cup, going on current [Ireland] ranking. So anyone who comes onto the market is of interest to us. 

I think he [Stringer] is doing a great job for Bath. I think he’s been very good for them and if it was a World Cup slot, or whatever, well then it might be an opportunity for us. 

The idea of a Munster icon putting on the jersey of a rival province may sit badly with Munster fans, but for the sake of Irelands future, it might be the smart move. At Leinster, he could give invaluable experience to up and coming nines McGrath and McCarthy.

If Carlsberg did facial expressions….

At the same time, O’Connor also mentioned Irish Scrumhalf James Hart, who has been tearing it up on the French scene in the blue and red jersey of Grenoble. After failing to pick up an academy contract with Leinster, he moved to France, and under the tutelage of Bernard Jackman, has become a real contender for the 9 jersey. However, Hart is contracted to the alpine province until 2017.

James is a good player doing a good job for Grenoble. All those guys, especially the Irish-qualified ones, are of interest to us.

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In a recent interview Taniela Tupou, expressed his displeasure at the NZRU selection policy, being unable to represent New Zealand Schools because he doesn’t hold a Kiwi passport, despite living in Auckland for, four years.

“They said that ‘if you’re not on a New Zealand passport and you’ve been here for four years, you can play for the team’. But I’ve been here for four years and they said I can’t play for the New Zealand A team. It’s not fair.”

Although he said would take the chance to play for New Zealand in a heart beat, he said, he was starting to look at options in Australia, where he has received offers.

“But that’s one of my goals this year – to play for the New Zealand A team. If I can play with them, then maybe I’ll change my mind from going to Australia.

“If I have the chance to play for the All Blacks, I’ll take it. If I can’t make the All Blacks and I can’t make the Wallabies, then maybe I’ll play for the other one – [Tongan national rugby team] Ikale Tahi.”

He has also had offers from Europe and from local clubs, but has yet to be contacted by the New Zealand Rugby Union to talk about his eligibility. “Maybe I’m not good enough to stay here,” he joked.

It’s not the first time New Zealand has lost young talent because politics has gotten in the way of common sense.

In 1988, Willie Ofahengaue was refused re-entry into New Zealand on his Tongan passport after touring Australia with the New Zealand schools team. And we all know the rest of that story.

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