Leinster hoping Kearney will follow Ireland’s homeboys
O’Driscoll and Sexton yesterday committed to another two years with the IRFU, and Heaslip to three, but the union still has some work to do before tying up all of its top stars to deals beyond the season’s end and the World Cup.
Kearney among them.
“I would certainly hope so,” said Dawson of the likelihood that a deal would soon be done. “We don’t comment on any speculation or any other matters to do with contracts but we are pushing hard to get something agreed.”
Other notable internationals to have spurned faraway fields in favour of more familiar pastures in recent months include the Munster duo of Ronan O’Gara and Donncha O’Callaghan and the Ulster trio of Stephen Ferris, Andrew Trimble and Dan Tuohy.
Leinster had previously revealed deals with Sean O’Brien, Cian Healy, Shane Jennings and Devin Toner but the union is remaining tight-lipped about the ins and outs of other pending player negotiations, lest it puts their wares in the shop window.
Nevertheless, their achievements thus far — though some would say well overdue — reflect well on the IRFU, given the migration patterns in both England and Wales where a number of high-profile players have succumbed to Gallic suitors.
The Welsh situation is particularly apt given the similar player welfare programmes which the WRU had hoped would keep their stars at home but Lee Byrne (Clermont Auvergne) and James Hook (Perpignan) have already flown the coop.
“I would like to think our players believe in what is being done here and that they enjoy what they are doing in a competitive side with top-class coaching,” said Dawson. “They are well rewarded for what they do and there is the added incentive of the tax break at the end of their careers.”
Players must end their careers here in Ireland for that tax incentive to kick in and O’Driscoll, for one, looks likely to avail of that particular carrot now that he has committed to a new deal that will take him up until the age of 34.
It now looks certain that the Ireland captain will fufil what was once a burning desire to play some of his club rugby abroad, and it was no surprise when IRFU chief executive Philip Browne singled him out after yesterday’s news.
“While being equally delighted at both Jamie and Jonathan’s decision to sign new contracts, I feel I do need to make a special mention about Brian O’Driscoll. He has shown unwavering professionalism and commitment to Irish and Leinster rugby throughout his career.
“He is also the perfect example to all young players, showing how the Irish system provides support for natural talent and can have a positive influence on their development and potential by remaining playing here.”
It was no surprise, then, that quotes attributed to O’Driscoll’s in yesterday’s press release spoke of how staying in Ireland had helped prolong a career that, after this news, may see him return to Australia as a Lion in 2013, 12 years after first doing so.
Declan Kidney remarked that the importance of keeping such players at home “cannot be underestimated” while Joe Schmidt spoke of how loyalty among Irish players still outweighed “lucrative overseas offers”.
“There is something special building in Leinster,” said Jonathan Sexton of his decision to stay put, “and, as well as the involvement with Ireland in a World Cup year, that was the main influence on my decision”.
How much money the likes of Heaslip and Sexton turned down from abroad is a matter of conjecture but figures of up to €500,000 per annum had been bandied about.
The IRFU was never in a position to match figures in that ball park but Browne, while neglecting to go into details yesterday, did confirm that the three contracts would not break the bank as far as the union is concerned.
“The difficulty was always going to be that the market place in France is very buoyant at the moment,” he told TV3, “and to be fair, players have to explore other options but we have managed to get their signatures.”
Heaslip took his cue off Browne by sidestepping the money question on Newstalk later in the evening but admitted that he had thought long and hard about moving on before deciding to stay in Dublin.
“I was very close to going and had to weigh up a lot of things, lifestyle and everything. I’m not your bog standard stay-at-home kinda guy. I like to get out and experience different things and I looked at that option.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
