Anthony Foley delighted as skipper Peter O’Mahony commits to Munster

A collective sigh of relief led by head coach Anthony Foley was exhaled across Munster yesterday as Ireland back row and club captain Peter O’Mahony committed his future to the province.

The 25-year-old has put pen to paper on a three-year contract with and funded by the IRFU which will keep him at his native province until the summer of 2018.

The announcement, made yesterday as O’Mahony was participating in an Ireland squad training session at Galway’s Sportsground, put an end to concerns that the Corkman was considering leaving Munster.

In a season which has seen his side knocked out of the European Champions Cup at the pool stage and lose one of its brightest young stars in JJ Hanrahan to a big-spending English Premiership club for next season, the longer O’Mahony went without signing a new deal, the greater the worry among supporters that their team would be dealt another serious blow.

Instead, during a week which has seen No.8 Robin Copeland ruled out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury, O’Mahony was able to deliver a great lift to his home camp with this decision. “It’s great to see Peter’s deal finalised, and what a huge boost for the squad to have our captain committing to the province for another three years,” head coach Foley said.

“He’s an exceptional talent that leads from the front, and at only 25 years of age, it is very satisfying to know that he has so much more to give.”

Centrally-contracted O’Mahony, who won his 27th Test cap in last Saturday’s victory over France at the Aviva Stadium, said he was looking forward to ongoing success at both provincial and international levels.

“I am delighted to have signed a new three year contract with Munster and the IRFU,” O’Mahony, who is in Galway as Ireland warm up for their Six Nations clash with England on March 1, said. “Munster is my home province; the team I’ve grown up supporting and am honoured to both represent and captain. I look forward to working hard with my team mates, coaching staff and management to achieve continued success for both Munster and Ireland in the years ahead.”

O’Mahony made the first of his 68 appearances for Munster against Ulster in January 2010, and made his Ireland debut two years later in the 42-10 home win over Italy, captaining the national side 15 months later on the 2013 summer tour to North America.

Described by Munster chief executive Garrett Fitzgerald as a “perfect role model for all aspiring young players”, O’Mahony’s signing of a new deal was also hailed by IRFU Performance Director, David Nucifora, who said: “Peter’s performances for Ireland over the past few seasons have been exceptional. The esteem in which he is held by Irish rugby is reflected in the fact that at the age of just 25, he has already captained his country and province. Leadership is just one of the many qualities he brings to Munster and Ireland and we are delighted that he has committed to Irish Rugby.”

There was another boost to the current feelgood factor in Irish rugby yesterday with O’Mahony’s fellow international forward Iain Henderson also signing a three-year contract which will keep the 22-year-old at Ulster, another province in need of a lift following early elimination from Europe.

“I’m massively looking forward to staying with Ulster and with the player base we’ve got, things are definitely looking up, especially with the new management in and Les (Kiss) coming back (as director of rugby) in the not too distant future,” said Henderson.

Henderson said with JJ Hanrahan in the minority among young Irish players who felt their future was best served overseas, there was a big buy-in for the direction Irish rugby is heading, from the national team down.

“I think everyone is looking at how Ireland are doing at the moment... it’s a massive inspiration for all the players whose ambitions are to go on and play for Ireland, give how well Joe’s been doing with the team.”