Howlett move needs Players Group green light

MUNSTER will need to get the green light from the powerful IRFU-controlled Players Advisory Group (PAG) if Doug Howlett agrees to join the province on a massive six figure deal.

Munster chiefs are this week sitting down with Howlett’s agent in an effort to persuade the All Black speedster to come to the Irish province following the World Cup in France.

Negotiations were put on hold while Munster Chief Executive, Garrett Fitzgerald, and management were in Chicago last week, but they are keen to speed up the process of bringing the 59-times capped New Zealand winger to the province.

Munster will need to table a competitive financial package in order to stave off interest from cash-rich French Top 14 and English Premiership clubs, who are also interested in Howlett’s signature.

If a deal can be hammered out, it is expected to cost Munster Rugby €850,000 over three years — but the sticking point may come when Munster chiefs attempt to get the deal ratified by the powerful IRFU screening body, the PAG.

The IRFU-controlled PAG have a policy regarding high profile foreign players (Super 14 or higher): the group only allows three per province. They also don’t like to see more than one foreign player per position.

If Munster, for example, want Howlett as a full back then they are in a position to make a very strong case. Shaun Payne retired in June and currently there are two Irish-born players vying for the number 15 jersey: Denis Hurley and Mossie Lawler, while Paul Warwick can also fill in at fullback.

Munster only have one high profile oversees signing on the books in former Auckland Blues centre and New Zealand Maori captain, Rua Tipoki; so are in a good position to argue their case for a second Super 14 star with the powerful PAG committee.

The three-man group are the sole arbiters of who comes to Ireland to play and who does not.

The provinces target the players they want and come back to the PAG, and the group will either say ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

“For us it is a balancing act,” said a Munster source. “We have to win at provincial level in order to keep our best players in the country and we also have to think of providing the national team with quality players. We fight our case with the PAG. Sometimes you’d need two players, sometimes four. There’s a lot of give and take.”