David Quinlan joined the Leinster exodus yesterday by signing a two-year deal with the Northampton Saints. It completes an excellent week for the 27-year-old former Blackrock College centre after he was named in the Ireland squad for next month's two-Test tour of Japan, where he is widely expected to win his first full international cap.
With his competition for a place at Leinster comprising of three current Lions, Quinlan has struggled to cement a regular place for the Heineken European Cup games despite being a regular feature when the international player were away. He toured the Southern Hemisphere with Ireland in 2003 and has four A caps.
"You could say I have been fighting the good fight at Leinster for the last couple of seasons but, with the quality ahead of me, there comes a point when you either give up or move on. I suppose this will be the real test."
Quinlan has passed plenty of tests over the years having attained a law degree, a diploma in business studies and a masters in criminology before turning his full attention to professional rugby. In another rarity for the modern-day professional rugby player, he played in an intervarsity match for Cambridge University, losing 19-16 to a strong Oxford side.
The opportunity to play regularly inside the majestic talent that is Carlos Spencer, Northampton's other new signing, proved too good an opportunity to turn down.
There will be obvious challenges to Quinlan at his new club but current Australian centre Marc Stcherbina suffers under the foreigner rule after the arrival of Spencer. Quinlan is not considered a foreigner under the current English Premiership rules.
"No coach guarantees you a place but I am going there with a clear understanding that if I play well I have been signed as the first-choice number 12," he said.
Quinlan will have just two weeks off after returning from Japan on June 20th before joining up with his new team-mates. Ironically, he could make his debut against Leinster as the Saints play a pre-season match at Donnybrook in August.
