Fitzgerald talks on hold for Leinster

Luke Fitzgerald’s contract negotiations have been put on ice for the week as the player attempts to concentrate on Leinster’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against Cardiff Blues tomorrow evening.

Doubts over the Ireland utility back’s future at the province have grown since details of his stalled talks and reduced terms offered by the IRFU became public knowledge and it will be next week before the matter is revisited.

“It’s an important week for us and it’s certainly something that is uppermost in all our minds and his,” said Leinster coach Joe Schmidt, “but we’ll leave it until next week and sit down and have a chat about that then.”