Kidney relief as Kearney finally inks new deal

ROB KEARNEY yesterday put months of frustrating contract talks behind him to sign on the dotted line with the IRFU, one which also ties him to Leinster until the summer of 2013.

The injured Ireland full-back had made little secret of his displeasure at the length of time it was taking to finalise his immediate future, but he now joins a long line of fellow internationals to have signed with the union.

“You’re always delighted to see when a player and the IRFU have managed to come up with an agreement,” said Declan Kidney. “We want to keep all our players at home. It allows us to prepare that much better, and it allows us to see the guys that bit more often.