RUGBY: Leo Cullen becomes the latest player to leave Leinster having accepted an offer to join the Leicester Tigers where he will join former team-mate Shane Jennings. It is yet another blow for the Irish province to lose a high-quality player.
The 27-year-old secondrow has been largely a permanent feature in the team for the past seven years, injuries permitting, and has reached this decision with some reluctance.
He explained: "Since making my senior Leinster debut in 1998, I have won more than 80 caps for my province and been lucky and privileged enough to captain Leinster on a number of occasions.
"I have had seven very happy years in the blue of Leinster and until I was contacted by Leicester Tigers last week, I had not given any serious thought to leaving."
It wouldn't have been for the lack of offers during that time frame. Cullen continued: "However, when a club like Leicester makes you an offer, I feel it's something you cannot ignore.
The Tigers are one of the top sides in the English Premiership - they have won the Heineken European Cup twice in recent seasons - and they have a squad of which every player would love to be a part.
"Having played them in the Heineken Cup quarter-final in April, I have seen at first hand just how good they can be.
"I am sure that joining Leicester will improve me as a player, and in making this move I hope that I can add to the 15 Irish caps I have won to date. I have spent my entire professional career with Leinster, before that with Blackrock College, and have made countless friends at provincial and club level.
"It will be hard for me to say goodbye to those friends, but moving to Welford Road is perhaps the biggest challenge I have ever faced in rugby, and I am very excited and proud to have this opportunity."
He went on to thank his former colleagues and the Leinster supporters for their support and friendship.
Few players could match his work ethic, the honesty that he brought to each performance, never shirking the more mundane duties.
He'll certainly be an excellent acquisition for the Tigers. He has played for Ireland at schools, under-19, under-21, A and senior levels and won 81 caps for Leinster.
