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IRFU statement: Contract extension agreed with Iain Henderson
By PA
Ireland lock Iain Henderson has signed a two-year contract extension with the IRFU. The Irish union said that the 31-year-old Henderson’s deal will keep him at Ulster until the end of the 2024/25 campaign.
He has won 71 caps and was part of last season’s Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam campaign following previous title successes in 2014, 2015, and 2018. He is now part of the 42-strong squad in training for the upcoming Rugby World Cup in France.
“Iain has developed into an important leader within both the Ireland and Ulster environments, and we are delighted to have ensured that he continues his career in Ireland,” said IRFU performance director David Nucifora. “I have no doubt that he will continue to add positively to both environments in the months and years to come.”
Henderson added: "I am delighted to sign with the IRFU and Ulster for another two seasons and look forward to continuing my journey in Ireland.
"It's an incredible honour pulling on my provincial and international colours and I believe that there is more to come as we look to build in the months ahead."
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Latest Comments
> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
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