Christian Short will move to Northampton

Shorty takes Off..
By LDTT
March 2 2006

In Connacht, Michael Bradley is set to lose his secondrow, Christian Short, at the end of the season. Short is to take up a two-year contract with Northampton Saints.

The decision by the 26-year-old to move to Franklin's Gardens comes just a few weeks after former Irish Under-21 lock Damian Browne, who captained the Saints in Sunday's 30-3 loss to London Irish, turned down an offer to return to Connacht.

Short indicated that the offer to join Northampton on a two-year deal was considerably greater than anything put on the table by the Irish province.

"I have had three wonderful seasons at Connacht and would have loved to stay here. It was a very difficult decision to make. I have settled in Galway, bought a new house in Barna," he said. "That said, Northampton came in and put an offer on the table. They are one of the top clubs in Europe, have a fantastic set-up and great support. It wasn't an easy decision but, in the circumstances, I feel I have made the right decision."

This season Connacht drafted in Kiwi Andrew Gallagher into their secondrow but, like Pieter Myburgh before him, he has failed to make an impact and Short and Farley have formed the secondrow partnership.