Leinster fans’ hopes of seeing Rocky Elsom lining out in the colours of the European champions next season look a lot slimmer this afternoon, after the flanker all but conceded his return to Australia is imminent.
Elsom ideally wants to resume playing for Australia this summer in time for the Tri-Nations, then return for another season with Leinster. But with the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand on the horizon the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) does not appear keen on that idea.
He flies to London tomorrow, ahead of the Barbarians game against England in Twickenham on Saturday and he will then head to Australia to line out against his home country for the tourists.
While Down Under, he is expected to open talks with the ARU before discussing a deal with a Super 14 club, widely believed to be the ACT Brumbies.
No talks have been arranged as of yet, but the 26-year-old admitted today he would be sad to leave, though seemed resigned to doing so.
“I’ve had a really good time here and it would be sad for me to think that I won’t be able to be a part of it anymore but, on the other hand, you got to enjoy what you had and I have been really lucky here so I can’t really complain,” he told Eamon Keane on Newstalk 106 this afternoon.
Elsom is well aware of the depth of feeling towards him from Leinster fans but feels they will understand his position.
“Yeah, but I think they also understand that the internationals is the pinnacle of the game. When I came over here they said what they really want to do is come over for a year and we want to win the Heineken Cup. We’ve done that so in a sense they understand where I’m coming from.”
Typically, there is plenty of interest in Elsom’s future in Australia as well, but the Brumbies look set to beat the New South Wales Waratahs to his signature, should he sign an initial deal with the ARU.
Speaking to the Sydney Morning Heraldtoday, chief executive Andrew Fagan said: "He's obviously moving a little closer to making a decision ... he knows what our position is.
"He's over here next week, obviously coming to play in that (Barbarians) game and I would suggest it may not be until then, that he wouldn't make a decision until he's actually in the country."
"There's no scheduled meeting at this stage."
