Schmidt keen to keep Luke

Joe Schmidt has insisted Leinster are desperate to retain the services of Luke Fitzgerald in the wake of reports claiming Munster have expressed an interest in signing the Ireland back.

Schmidt revealed: “We’ve put a contract extension to Luke. We are pretty hopeful that he will opt to take it. I haven’t had a massive chance to talk to him. I have had one chat with him as he hasn’t been in camp because he is recuperating ahead of ACL surgery. So hopefully this week the two of us we will sit down to chat about the whys and wherefors and hopefully he will be with us next year. He is a good player we’d love to hold on to.”