Doubts linger over Jamison Gibson-Park's Leinster future

Jamison Gibson-Park has been a staple of Andy Farrell’s squad for the past six years, but the winds of change are sweeping through Irish rugby following their horror show in Paris.

And that could mean that he will go into the World Cup next year without the Leinster star Jamison Gibson-Park, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

The soon-to-be 34-year-old was dropped to the bench for last weekend’s win over Italy, with Craig Casey preferred, but has been restored to the side for the trip to Twickenham to face England on Saturday.

Auckland-born Gibson-Park, who has made 164 appearances for Leinster, has seen his CV floating around clubs in Gallagher PREM, France and now Japan since last summer.

A favourite of Farrell since making his debut in 2020, he has won 48 Ireland caps and, with another three for the Lions in Australia last summer, there would be plenty of interest if a move was being seriously considered.

Gibson-Park, who started his career with the Blues and the Hurricanes, received a huge offer to join the breakaway competition R360, but its launch was postponed until 2028.

He plays in a position in much demand among Top 14 clubs, with Pau, Bordeaux, Perpignan, La Rochelle and Racing 92 all currently in the market for an international-quality scrum-half, and most have healthy budgets available.

In Japan, the Kobelco Kobe Steelers and the Yokohama Canon Eagles are among the clubs to have put the position on their shopping lists for next season.

Ireland is well stocked, with Fintan Gunne, 22, set to challenge him for his starting spot with the United Rugby Championship champions Leinster within the next season.

Ulster’s Nathan Doak, who is two years older than Gunne at 24, has more than his fair share of admirers, and he and Casey are expected to carry the torch into the 2031 World Cup campaign.

Gibson-Park will, however, not be the first Ireland international and certainly won’t be the last to use interest from abroad, particularly France, to bring the IRFU to the negotiating table.

Because so few have moved in the past, recruitment teams in France have been reluctant to engage when offered Irish players, as their interest is used as nothing more than a bargaining tool.