Titans release Carney

MUNSTER bound Brian Carney has been released from his rugby league contract with Australian side Gold Coast Titans.

However his old club admit that they expect some compensation for their high-profile player when he signs.

Carney, a former Great Britain international winger, looks set to make the move to union with his native province later this week.

Cork-born Carney retired in mid-January after just one training session with the new club in Queensland, saying he was homesick and no longer had a desire to play the game.

Titans managing director Michael Searle said that Carney was being chased by up to five clubs in both rugby union and rugby league.

Searle said the Titans would not stand in the way of the former Wigan flyer playing top-level football again, provided his club was compensated.

“It doesn’t bother me in the least,” Mr Searle said. “We expected he would want to go back and play at some stage.

“We always knew he had issues with being away from home and if he’s reconciled those issues that’s fine, but there’s still a process we have to go through. I’m happy to work through it.

“There’s obviously going to be a requirement that the other club is going to have to reimburse us a reasonable cost, but that’s a minor issue.

“We know he’s only 30, fit and healthy and he doesn’t have a recurring injury. To his credit, he gave us the option of retaining his registration.”

Carney had requested the Titans not release him from his two-year contract to kill speculation he would return to the UK to play rugby league again.