Former Munster player Joey Carbery has admitted that signing for Bordeaux-Bègles was an easy decision to make when the Top 14 side approached him earlier this year.
Carbery, who has struggled to secure a place in the Ireland team due to competition from other fly-halves and persistent injuries, will play in France this year after spending five years at Munster.
When asked about how hard it was to leave Ireland and Munster, the 28-year-old claimed that the chance to play Top 14 rugby was too good to turn down.
"Bordeaux had put down the offer quite early, and I think it made my decision quite easy just based on their team and having Noel [McNamara] there as well," Carbery told the media this week.
"It was everything I was looking for in a rugby team. It felt like you could be yourself on that rugby team, where people go out and express themselves. When the opportunity came around, it was too good an opportunity to pass up."
Although Carbery has now left for a new challenge, he didn’t believe that his final game would be against Ulster in the URC play-offs. The Munster player came on and broke his thumb during the win, which caused him to miss the 10-17 defeat to the Glasgow Warriors in the semi-final.
"It was a strange one because I didn’t think it was going to be my last game when it came around," he added.
"Look, on that day, I actually broke my thumb when I first came on in that first half. I played through it, and I thought I went quite well. Then, I suppose, it was my last game at Thomond Park. It was quite nice that there was a good win at the end of it.
Joey Carbery of Munster during the Guinness PRO14 Round 10 match between Ulster and Munster at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast. (Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)"But yeah, I’ve had a bad run of injuries down there, and I suppose for it to end like that, it kind of summed it up. But look, I’m hoping that this little injury is the last one for a while, so I can push on forward."
Carbery is now keen to hit the ground running with his new side, Bordeaux.
"I think it is a clean slate, and I’m lucky it was such a minor injury. I know it was annoying at the time, but I can start pre-season now, fresh and fit, and I don’t have to bring anything with me, which is great.
"When I have a run of games, that’s when I’m at my best, and I know I won’t get injuries as much because you’re more likely to pick up injuries when you’re playing here or there, and your body’s not used to the hits and the impacts.
"I’m just hoping to put a fresh start down and get a run of it."
Carbery has struggled for game time under Andy Farrell, with the likes of Ross Byrne, Jack Crowley, the retired Johnny Sexton, and others all contending for the fly-half spot with Ireland.
It's clear the talented rugby player was left frustrated by being omitted from the Six Nations squad and the World Cup roster, but Carbery admits there is no bad blood between him and Farrell, and that moving to France could be the jolt his career needs.
"I won’t go into any details, but I suppose he understood my frustration, and he understood that this is a good new challenge for me and a fresh start because you do sometimes get in a bit of a rut.
"And when we were having those conversations, I hadn’t been picked for Ireland for over a year, so I think he completely understood where I was coming from.
"For him, he could see it from a personal side. That's why it’s been a really tough year for me because playing for Ireland has always been my number one target, so for that to not happen was affecting my confidence on the pitch, and I couldn’t be myself out there.
"I think this fresh start will help me regather everything and hopefully propel me forward."
