Duncan Casey: Healy has no apology to make for going with gut over heart. I should have

The average career for an Irish player is just six years. The last thing you want is to look back and rue a decision to stay when you had the opportunity to make more money, experience a new culture or play at a higher level

SCOTLAND-BOUND: Ben Healy of Munster kicks the match winning conversion during the United Rugby Championship between Ulster and Munster. 

The Clash’s 1982 classic ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’ probably doesn’t feature on the playlists of today's professional rugby players. In terms of a soundtrack for a season, however, it’s the perfect anthem for the situation many lads find themselves in at this time of year. It’s funny how applicable the song’s lyrics are to the January period of contract uncertainty: “It’s always tease, tease, tease; You’re happy when I’m on my knees…The indecision’s bugging me; If you don’t want me, set me free.” 

It’s not an exact science but generally speaking, a club will have locked down their top priorities by the end of the calendar year. For example, in mid-December Munster announced that Jack O’Donoghue, Andrew Conway and Jack Crowley had all signed extensions. Ulster made similar announcements for Billy Burns and Marty Moore a week later.