Alan Quinlan spoke about how unusual it was to see Leo Cullen showing his frustration about losing Roman Salanoa to Munster on Friday’s OTB AM.

Leinster had recently lost the services of Hawaiian prop Roman Salanoa, despite Cullen being told that he would be staying.

I the lead up to his side’s PRO 14 semi-final clash with Munster, Cullen let slip his frustration with the situation.

“He told me he was staying, I took him for his word but the contract wasn't signed,” Cullen said.

“I'm not sure what pressure he was under in the background but it left us compromised.”

Roman Salanoa of Leinster during the Guinness PRO14 Round 8 match between Leinster and Ulster at the RDS Arena in Dublin. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Quinlan has not seen Cullen show these frustrations in the past, despite the large number of former Leinster players moving to the other provinces.

“It’s probably the first time we’ve heard Leo Cullen speak about his frustration about some Leinster players moving to other provinces,” he said.

“Certainly this one irked him a little bit, I think it was probably the frustration of losing [Jack Aungier] to Connacht as well.

“He’s not happy, I suppose with Tadgh Furling being injured and with the way and the manner that that played out.

“I can understand a little bit his frustration, but that is the nature of the game really, you know players move on.”

Salanoa has been capped three times by Cullen for Leinster, after moving to Dublin in 2019.

The verbal agreement that he was staying, only to be lured away from Dublin to Cork was unusual, but Quinlan has seen similar events in the past.

“Roman Salanoa obviously changed his mind and wanted to go to Munster,” he said.

“It is unusual, I think I’ve seen in my time players that agree contracts and agree to extend, and then their heads are turned by another offer or another move, and they reflect on it a bit.”

Head coach Leo Cullen during Leinster Rugby squad training at UCD in Dublin. Photo by Conor Sharkey for Leinster Rugby via Sportsfile

Salanoa's reputation to take a hit

Quinlan’s biggest concern now is how this decision may affect the reputation of Salanoa, particularly as it is so early in his career.

“I think it is a little bit unfair on the player as well, that he seems now that his word isn’t his bond,” he said.

“He came into the country a few years ago, not knowing anybody, struggling with a new culture and got an opportunity from the IRFU.

“Effectively, he was an IRFU player who was put into the Leinster academy to monitor his development and hope that in a couple of years’ time, if there was potential there, that he would become available to Ireland.

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— Off The Ball (@offtheball) September 4, 2020

“That was the whole purpose of bringing the player over.

“He became available through different contacts in Hawaii, he was playing rugby in America.

“He is a young kid and I think it can look bad on him, and that is a little bit unfair I think.”

At least two provinces other than Leinster were interested in Salanoa when we was brought over, with Connacht and Munster both vying for his signature.

Quinlan believes it was the quality of the coaches in Cork that sealed the deal.

“It was not surprise and no secret that Connacht wanted to get him, Munster wanted to get him and they probably put their best foot forward and changed his mind I think,” Quinlan said.

“The opportunity to work with Graham Rowntree in Munster was probably one that swung it a little bit.”

Leinster had also agreed to let Jack Aungier move to Connacht, most likely as they believed that Salanoa would be staying, which Quinlan thinks added to Cullen’s frustration.

“Ultimately I can fully understand where Leo Cullen is coming from and if I was Leo Cullen I’d be frustrated and upset by it as well,” Quinlan said.

“Given the fact that Jack Aungier went to Connacht as well, and it is probably more the frustration of the timing of that.

“They allowed him to leave because they thought they were keeping Roman, and then Roman decided that he would go to Munster.

“Fortunately or unfortunately, no deal is done until a player puts his name to the signature really.”

The situation must have really got to Cullen for him to react in the way that he did, as Quinlan said that Cullen is hardly ever vocal about these issues.

“As I say, Leo Cullen is not normally like that and he doesn’t really talk about these things much, but I can understand his frustration,” he said.

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