IRFU bids to retain talent as Ireland stars on contract countdown

Keith Earls, Peter O’Mahony, and CJ Stander from Munster, Leinster’s Tadhg Furlong, Cian Healy, and Ireland captain Johnny Sexton, as well as Ulster’s Iain Henderson, are all out of their central IRFU contracts come July 1

BIG DEAL: Ireland captain Johnny Sexton, Peter O’Mahony, Keith Earls, (second row) CJ Stander, Cian Healy, Tadhg Furlong, and Iain Henderson are all out of their central IRFU contracts next July. IRFU performance director David Nucifora yesterday confirmed that more than 50% of contracted players will need to sit down with the governing body regarding their futures. Pictures: INPHO, Sportsfile

It will be the New Year at the earliest before the IRFU sits down with players to begin negotiations on their next contracts but the man in charge of those talks is confident he will be able to retain the talent Andy Farrell wants to take Ireland towards the 2023 World Cup.

IRFU performance director David Nucifora spent a lot of his end-of-year media briefing yesterday speaking of the uncertainty for rugby, its governing body on these shores, and the professionals who play the sport, in unprecedented times of pandemic and financial crisis.