There was much consternation when Munster confirmed they wouldn't be offering a new contract to loosehead James Cronin. Speaking to RTÉ, Donal Lenihan was blunt in assessment of the decision.
"There is no way you should be leaving a player of that stature go. Make the budgetary cuts somewhere else. If you have to lose player 44 in order to keep him, then that's what you do.
"If you're in a quarter-final or semi-final, and Killer gets injured, when you see James Cronin coming in off the bench, you're not worried and the players around him aren't worried.
"I think it sends the wrong message, especially in light of another South African second row/back row coming into the squad - how much is he (Jason Jenkins) costing?"
Today it's being reported that Ballincollig man will be joining the Top 14 side Biarritz for the 2021-22 season. The news was first reported by the42.ie.
Cronin had been strongly linked with a move up the M18 to Connacht but it appears he will instead join fellow Irishmen James Hart and Dave O'Callaghan on the Basque coast.
Biarritz were promoted back to the Top14 last month after beating neighbours Bayonne in a promotion playoff that was decided by penalty kicks.
Cronin has three caps for Ireland. He was also suspended for one-month last year for an 'unintentional anti-doping violation'.
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