The reality of Tadhg Furlong's IRFU contract negotiations
Tadhg Furlong is in the final year of his contract and will soon have to decide his future. This decision will have a profound effect on his relationship with Ireland and Leinster, whom he has served with distinction for over a decade.
The tight-head, who will be celebrating his 32nd birthday in November, has been capped 78 times by Ireland and another seven for the Lions after Warren Gatland took on the 2017 tour to New Zealand and South Africa in 2021.
Furlong, who grew up in a farming family in Wexford, is closing in on 150 appearances for Leinster and is understood to be one of if not Ireland’s highest-paid player, picking up around €600,000 a season from his central contract.
But some very well-placed sources in Ireland have told us that this is likely to be as good as it will get and that contract offers from the IRFU begin to tail off once a player moves into their thirties.
IRFU Performance Director David Humphreys is unlikely to be any different from his predecessor, David Nucifora, and there won’t be any change to the policy that appears to have served them well.
“Furlong has had his biggest paycheck. I’m sure David Humphreys is trying to make sure they (contract offers) are not above a certain threshold,” our sources have told us.
So that leaves Furlong at a crossroads about what to do next. Does he stay in Ireland but accept a pay cut, or does he look elsewhere, France or even Japan, where he would get a decent payday but would end his international career.
Furlong’s CV is doing the rounds in France, and there have been suggestions that he has opened talks with Bayonne, which one of our contacts across the Channel believes to be somewhat wide of the mark.
“I have no doubts that he is looking in France as a way of stuffing the offer that is coming his way, but Bayonne, even if they were interested, which I’m not sure they are, won’t match what he is currently earning in Ireland.”
Latest Comments
Obviously a convincing win for the Boks, but they will be disappointed with the scoring efficiency. The general stats are off the charts, with plenty of possession and territory, line breaks, running meters, set piece success etc. But there were long periods without scoring. And specifically the outside backs (Kolbe, Arendse and Fassi) were less productive in scoring tries than you would have expected with the comprehensive core dominance that SA had. Also, the SA bench promised to upgrade a third string front row and third string half-back pairing to something closer to first choice selections, which could have triggered a points fest in the fourth quarter, but that did not materilaize. Additionally the Boks will be disappointed that Wales scored any tries at all.
Go to commentsIt didn't work against the Boks in 2 tests this year. They also lost by more points this year than in the final last year. How would they be WC Champions now? Get real please
Go to comments