The eight players left on Irish Rugby's 'central contract' hit list and how the IRFU plan to pay for them
It’s one down, eight more to go for the IRFU following Conor Murray’s recent announcement that he will continue to play his rugby in Ireland until 2022.
The handshake of Murray – currently rehabbing an old neck injury that resurfaced rather than undergo surgery – is only the first of many deal-maker David Nucifora will hope to arrange this winter to ensure the Irish union’s central contract system remains the envy of the Six Nations.
With Murray locked away from foreign overtures following his three-year extension, the post-2019 World Cup futures of Johnny Sexton, Sean O’Brien, Keith Earls, Robbie Henshaw, Cian Healy, Jack McGrath, Rory Best and Rob Kearney make for a stellar cast of names due at the negotiating table in Dublin.
The premise is simple. What warrants a national contract is a consistent, starting position in the Irish national team and rival national coaches Eddie Jones and Jacques Brunel can only jealously look at the set-up Joe Schmidt has to work with.
In Ireland the sport’s stars are centrally managed by the IRFU, a policy which means the headline acts are never flogged by the provincial teams.
Take next weekend as an example: Schmidt’s leading players will be off-limits to their clubs for round seven PRO14 duty, Ireland’s November 3 match against Italy in Chicago instead taking precedence.
That’s a landscape so very different to England and France where self-interested club owners dictate terms to the respective RFU and FFR administrations. They would be up in arms if requested to release players for a Test match taking place outside of the designated three-fixture November window.
Not that everything on the Irish front is plain sailing regarding its streamlined centralised system.
Unlike now, where only a select few are handsomely rewarded with a basic salary ranging from €350,000 to around the €600,000 per annum Murray will reputedly bank (only Sexton takes home more in basic pay), there was once a time when everyone of interest to the national coach was on an IRFU central deal.
Those agreements were tossed around like confetti. Then came the sobering capital commitment of €77.5million towards the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road, the project which became root cause for the series of belt-tightening, recessionary cutbacks that resulted in the number of centrally funded contracts dramatically falling from 30 to 21 in 2010.
The provinces were told to up their money-making game to foot more of the contract bill, and what developed at IRFU level with the elite players was a series of cagey, cat-and-mouse negotiations that was regularly a more painful, drawn-out process.
It left the IRFU’s player contract review group, which involved volunteer administrators such as Limerick bank manager Martin O’Sullivan, frequently criticised for being too slow to negotiate and often accused of being too stingy with the remuneration packages it offered.
It was why the 2014 recruitment of Nucifora from Australia became crucial to preserving the Irish way.
His arrival meant you finally had a rugby professional managing the professionals and while the system hasn’t become controversy-free (Nucifora, for instance, gets taken to task for annually holidaying in Oz in January when some negotiations are at their most critical phase), few can argue that the former auctioneer’s wheeling and dealing isn’t largely a success in warding off overseas clubs flirting with Ireland’s best.
But for the IRFU striving to afford European market salaries, packages backed up in a number of situations by agents sourcing private business money for their clients, you could have had the awkward situation at the weekend of Peter O’Mahony packing down in Limerick for Gloucester rather than his beloved Munster, the English club allegedly being the Corkman’s prime foreign suitor last winter.
‘The good thing is we don’t lose too many players,’ claimed Nucifora not so long ago. ‘For the number of players that choose to go our retention rate is pretty good.’
Nearly all the stars offered bulging contracts in the last while have delivered plenty bang for the IRFU’s buck. That’s important as value for money is crucial. The IRFU may have raked in €85.7m revenue in 2017/18, but it created a minuscule surplus of €1.2m after all bills were paid. Professional game costs alone checked in at a hefty €42.3m cost.
Just because you have a central contract doesn’t mean it’s easily kept either. Donnacha Ryan headed to France and Andrew Trimble retired in summer 2017 when there weren’t extensions on offer. Tommy Bowe likewise finished up in 2018 rather than continue to play on a reduced provincial salary.
With injuries also forcing Jared Payne and Jamie Heaslip into retirement, there are officially only 14 players left on IRFU central deals. A far cry from the 2010 high of 30.
When agreement is struck, it’s IRFU policy to announce their success from the rooftops but there was one recent exception. With Healy deemed the IRFU’s coveted loosehead in early 2016, McGrath was forced at the time to settle for a topped-up Leinster wage.
That situation changed with McGrath going on to become a Lions Test series replacement and his terms were bumped from province to union figures that are now due for renewal.
Of the nine contracts elapsing following next year’s world finals, Murray was seen as the greatest overseas flight risk. Tying him down at such an early juncture this season was quite the coup for the IRFU.
McGrath, Healy, Henshaw, Earls and Sexton will also go to their respective Nucifora meetings dealing from positions of strength. Injury-plagued Sean O’Brien needs a run of consistency to polish his credentials, but it’s the talks concerning national team skipper Best and Kearney that most intrigue.
Having agreed a one-year extension only last March, veteran Best will be 37 if he plays at Japan 2019. He could amicably decide to go out at the top by calling it quits there and then rather than attempt to haggle and carry on. We’ll see.
Curiously, while age was an understandable factor in the short time span of Best’s last agreement, it was odd Kearney opted for a similar one-year extension seven months ago just a few days shy of his 32 birthday.
As a much younger man you would have felt he has many more seasons in him than Best and would desire longer term security. Instead, he will be back in Nucifora’s office for the second season in succession.
In his corner he will have Irish rugby’s most influential agent, David McHugh. The Line Up boss has come a long way from his days as Leinster team manager during Michael Cheika’s early years.
Kearney, Murray, Tadhg Furlong and O’Brien are all exclusively his clients, while he looks after the interests of Devin Toner and McGrath in partnership with Esportif who have former Corner Flag owner Ryan Constable as a figurehead.
That’s quite a stable of stars to be looking after in an era where players are seeking more and more in their pay packet.
The IRFU is feeling the crunch. ‘Affordability of the game is always a challenge,’ suggested Nucifora during one of his bi-annual state of the Irish rugby nation media addresses.
‘We have got some competitors with deep pockets. We have to continue to be smart in the way we develop our players, keep our players and compete at a high level. That is probably the biggest challenge.
‘That [private money] is nothing to do with us the way the system works. There is private money out there where the players through their agents go out looking for third-party money through their own agreement.
‘That happens. Is it helpful? Yeah. It brings money into the game. We certainly won’t be looking to knock that back. We have got to keep thinking about ways we can grow the finances within Irish rugby so we can stay competitive.’
With one deal down and potentially eight more to go. Nucifora is in for a very busy winter.
THE IRFU’S CENTRAL CONTRACT LISTThe dates they signed and the agency.CONOR MURRAYOct 10, 2018 3 years to Jun 2022Line UpIAIN HENDERSONMar 20, 2018 3 years to Jun 2021Blue GiraffeCJ STANDERDec 21, 2017 3 years to Jun 2021Essentially SATADHG FURLONGDec 15, 2017 3 years to Jun 2021Line UpPETER O’MAHONYDec 15, 2017 3 years to Jun 2021HorizonDEVIN TONERDec 1, 2016 2 years to June 2020Esportif/Line UpROB KEARNEYMar 20, 2018 1 year to Nov 2019Line UpRORY BESTMar 20, 2018 1 year to Nov 2019EsportifCIAN HEALYFeb 17, 2016 3 years to Nov 2019Ikon*JACK McGRATHUnconfirmed 2 years to Nov 2019Esportif/Line UpROBBIE HENSHAWFeb 16, 2016 3 years to Nov 2019NoneKEITH EARLSJan 27, 2016 3 years to Nov 2019Baker SportsSEAN O’BRIENDec 22, 2015 3 years to Nov 2019Line UpJONATHAN SEXTONSept 4, 2014 4 years to Nov 2019 Horizon*Unlike the other 13, McGrath was never officially announced by the IRFU to have secured a central contract deal
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments