ROB KEARNEY SAYS there is only a final signature missing from a fresh central contract to extend his stay in Ireland, but he admits he was pushing for a two-year deal.
The Leinster and Ireland fullback was speaking with Off the Ball today and referred to his imminent contract announcement as a ‘nine-month extension’. So he will likely be back in discussions with David Nucifora sooner rather than later to determine where his future lies beyond 2020.
“The offer was on the table two or three months ago, then there were a few things to sort out,” Kearney told Joe Molloy, noting that the business end of the season took precedence over contract negotiations in recent weeks, but that delay allowed room for doubt to grow over where he would play his rugby beyond November.
“My intention was to finish it all off this week and, in the mean time, things got kicked out of proportion.
“You do have to make your case, but I suppose I have been very lucky that I can be a bit factual about it,” said the 33-year-old who is Irish rugby’s most decorated player.
“Part of the sticking point was nine months, versus a two-year contract, so I suppose that is where a little bit of a delay was.
I get a nine-month extension. We’ll take it from there after that.”
He may yet feel the need to play abroad, but for now Kearney is thrilled to further his ambition with Ireland and Leinster.
“The possibility of getting 100 national caps is there in the future potentially. I’ve got all my best friends and my brother (in Leinster), I live in Dublin.
“So if you have to take a hit in your salary then you suck it up. There’s more to it than the financial aspect.”
Gavan Casey is joined by Murray Kinsella and Sean Farrell for a review of the 2018/19 season, and cast an eye forward to next year and the Rugby World Cup in Japan.:
The42 Rugby Weekly / SoundCloud
Subscribe to our new podcast, The42 Rugby Weekly, here:
More Kearney articles than Jim demps comments at this stage
@Johnny Ryan: not possible
@Johnny Ryan:
Well if you want to see what all the fuss is all about :
:https://twitter.com/i/status/1132649842877112320
@Martin Quinn: That’s Sean O’Brien?
@Johnny Ryan: Jesus….. the last couple times I’ve seen you comment it’s about him….. you got anything else to be doing with your time…..
@Johnny Ryan: could have changed all that with a simple whisper of a swap with Andrew Conway, alas..
@Eddie Hekenui:
Sorry it was :: but a good one as well
So less money and less time than he wanted. Where are the moaners that were complaining about Leinster’s preferential treatment?
@Rudiger McMonihan: Exactly. I read some comments from the other article late last night and can’t understand it.
The worst thing in the world would be to remove hundreds of caps of experience post World Cup – should we get rid of Toner, POM, Sexton, Earls, Kearney just like that? Of course not.
Kearney is Ireland’s most decorated player. Even if he doesn’t play every game, he would be a huge asset in developing Larmour at Leinster.
He’s taken a pay cut, stayed only an extra 9 months and people are up in arms??!!! It’s very very difficult to understand what could drive such ways of thinking apart from silly bitter interprovincial nonsense.
In any case, the most important person’s decision in all this was Andy Farrell, who clearly wants him to stay, and Farrell should be supported by Nucifora, as he has been.
@Rudiger McMonihan: Sadly all the uproar came from 3 or 4 posters who were driven by provincial bias. Any arguments against keeping him didn’t stand up to a logical argument
@Rudiger McMonihan: surely every player ever that’s gotten a contract has signed it for less money and less time than they wanted?
I think it’s great that he’s around for an extra year for Ireland and Leinster, I just don’t think it should be on the IRFUs dime. There’s no value in a 9 month 5 game contract from an Irish perspective. He could have been kept in the setup without having the central contract.
@Jim Demps: “Brilliant news. I kind of had a suspicion that he may not have had a decent offer for renewal put to him given his age and what wage he could get in France but the powers that be did the right thing. His importance to the munster and Irish team go far beyond what he does on the pitch. He’s been one of the best players that has ever come out of limerick.”
That’s what you said when Earls resigned for basically the same period of time. Earls will be 6 months younger than Kearney will be when their respective contracts expire and is far more reliant on his pace so age is much more of a factor. You also say it’s a 5 game contract but there’s also a summer tour and all the training camps he’ll be around for where he’ll be coaching up the next generation.
@Eddie Hekenui: Ouch.
@Eddie Hekenui: I fail to see the comparison. Earls was 31 when offered his contract. He’ll be 33 when it’s up and I’d feel exactly the same way if he gets a 9 month contract extension at that point.
@Jim Demps: Your splitting hairs over the 33/34 thing. Both will be about the same age when their contracts expire. Basically every comment you’ve made about Kearney’s contract could be applied to Earls’ one. If you think Kearney shouldn’t have been offered a contract then surely you think Earls should have got a 1 year extension as opposed to a 2 year one.
@Eddie Hekenui: there’s a big difference there about when the contracts were offered though Eddie. A 9 month contract straight after a World Cup? It’s only a golden shower.. sorry, I meant golden handshake.
@Jim Demps: you’re making yourself look silly – the ages when they were offered their contracts is irrelevant, what matters is the age when the contract finishes.
@Jim Demps: by the sounds of it he was weighing up going abroad if he didn’t get the central contract
@Eddie Hekenui: haha no flies on u lol
@Anthony:
He will have the same chance of getting hurt as any other player 2 years younger. If he is feeling well and playing well that is all that counts. And in both counts he is .
@Andrew H:
The big problem for Jim is the usual one , he wanted Leinster (you notice it is about Leinster) to pay and not IRFU. Who pays K Earls ::the IRFU does and rightly so . Two great players coming to the end of their playing time but still have a lot to give. But why bring Leinster into it “Jesus” he falls into his own trap every time. He cannot help it !!
Completely deserves his new contract.
Can’t believe the moaning about it.
Number 1 in his position absolutely deserves it!
That’s the beauty of our system right there. He’s admitted to taking a pay cut for the other irreplaceable aspects.
IRFU have got it spot on.
Fair to both parties given his age and the unions need for his services in that position at this time.