Pat Lam claims he had "no idea" that Robbie Henshaw would be joining Leinster in the summer.
Speaking this afternoon, Lam insisted he was unaware of where Henshaw would be playing his rugby after the summer, that negotiations were running smoothly.
The Ireland centre signs a three-year deal with Leo Cullen's side, after it was announced this weekend that he will leave Connacht at the end of his contract in June.
“No idea,” said Lam, when asked where Henshaw would be going in the summer. “He won’t be here.
“That’s his decision. We are not involved in that. The main one is, the negotiation took place with Robbie’s team with Willie Ruane [CEO, Connacht] for us, and with the IRFU. So again that’s totally Robbie’s call.
"All of us, we got told last week. We were informed and then Willie let all of the staff, all of the players, everyone knew before it all came out. The whole process was nice and clean.
Pat Lam will have to prepare for life after Henshaw, who has been a vital member of their squad this season. Image: ©INPHO/James Crombie.
“It’s disappointing but it’s the nature of professional rugby. Everything we do is around the collective. Robbie is part of the 2015-16 team. And everything we are doing this year, and the years previous it’s all about the collective as we go through,” he added.
Connacht are currently second in the PRO12, level on points with fellow province Ulster.
"I would like to thank Connacht Rugby, the IRFU and Leinster for allowing me time to consider my future" Henshaw said today in a statement.
"This has been a long and difficult process and while I am sorry to be leaving Connacht I look forward to the next chapter of my rugby career at Leinster. The support I have enjoyed from the fans in the Sportsground and throughout the province is something that I really value and I want to thank them for four great years.”
The 22-year-old signs a national IRFU contract for the first time and his new central deal will run until after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
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