Keith Wood believes it is "sad" for Connacht to see Robbie Henshaw leaving for Leinster this summer, but that it's "worth celebrating" that the Ireland centre will at least be plying his club rugby on these shores.
Keith and The Irish Times' Gerry Thornley joined Off The Ball tonight to reflect on the move and Ireland's Six Nations loss to France.
Gerry Thornley that Henshaw was offered the same central contract deal from both Connacht and Leinster, meaning that the decision to leave for Leinster is a matter of personal choice from the 22-year-old's perspective. He also added that it's his understanding the IRFU would have "preferred Henshaw to stay with Connacht".
Keith said: "It's a little bit sad but you still don't want to get in the way of a player trying to progress. He is trying to look at it in that fashion."
Keith also called for a slight tweak to the Irish gameplan in attack after the Six Nations loss to France and that the "constraints are just a little bit too much".
"Just a tiny little loosening of the reins," he explained, "let the wingers have a cut. I though Jared Payne was brilliant on Saturday in dreadful conditions, defended incredibly well but Jared Payne for Ulster is a guy, who running, is attacking from wherever he possibly can and we're not seeing any element of that because he normally plays 15 for Ulster. I just think there's the constrains are just a little it too much."
Keith also wants Ulster's in-form Paddy Jackson to cover Jonathan Sexton on the bench instead of Leinster's versatile Ian Madigan, and also explained why he'd like to see Stuart McCloskey at 12 at some point in the near future with Henshaw moving over to outside centre.
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