Grand Slam heroes get Lions share

IRELAND’S Grand Slam-winning Lions have already pocketed an extra €90,000 each from their remarkable on-field successes this year.

The 14 members of Declan Kidney’s Six Nations heroes selected yesterday to tour South Africa next month will pick up a minimum e35,000 from the Lions — plus additional bonuses if they are part of a squad that triumphs in the test series against the world champion Springboks. Each of Ian McGeechan’s 37-man squad is guaranteed £30,000 for selection, with incrementals built in.

And for the 14 Ireland players on the squad, that’s on top of the e55,000 bonus they’ve already collected from the IRFU for their historic achievements in winning the country’s first Grand Slam in 61 years. That Six Nations payment was made up of fees and match-day win bonuses.

And there could be further rewards on the way for the eight Munster or four Leinster players to make the Lions squad — depending if either lift the Heineken Cup at Murrayfield on the eve of the Lions tour.

While the three high profile Irish ‘O’s’ — Brian O’Driscoll, Ronan O’Gara and Lions captain Paul O’Connell — already had serious earning capacity off the field, the selection of a number of other Irish internationals will result in a sharp increase in their earning potential if they make a mark in South Africa.

Munster’s Keith Earls has gone from a teenage hopeful to a boy wonder in the space of six months. And Leinster’s Jamie Heaslip, Luke Fitzgerald and Rob Kearney will also be hot property if they have a successful Lions tour.

Alan Quinlan’s Lions tour debut at 34 is the fairytale story of Ian McGeechan’s squad, with the biggest losers being James Hook and Gavin Henson of Wales, England golden boy Danny Cipriani and Welsh captain Ryan Jones, once tipped as a potential Lions captain.

Earls and Quinlan weren’t the only surprise inclusions — England’s Lee Mears, Ugo Monye and Harry Ellis must also have been pleasantly surprised to get the call — as were Wales’ Matthew Rees and Andy Powell.