Like many Irish rugby players before him, Jack Conan faces a dilemma at the moment. Remain with his province and hope to make a breakthrough or move to get more game time.
Conan's problem at Leinster is a Jamie Heaslip-shaped one. The 33-year-old's incredible durability - he rarely misses a game for province or country - means Conan could be below Heaslip in the pecking order for at least two-and-a-half more years. Heaslip signed a new deal with the IRFU this week which keeps him at Leinster until after the 2019 World Cup.
Conan recently about a desire to remain at Leinster, telling the The42.ie:
Maybe somewhere else is better but I want to play for Leinster. For me I want to be the best player I can be and I want to be one of the best back rowers in Ireland. If I left and gave up on the opportunity to get ahead of someone, I wouldn’t be the best.
If the 24-year-old does change his mind in this regard, he does appear to have some options. According to The Telegraph, two Aviva Premiership clubs, Leicester and Exeter, are interested in acquiring his services. Conan, who has one cap for Ireland, was previously linked with a move to Ulster but was reported to have turned it down.
Conan has been in flying form over recent months. He scored a hat-trick of tries in the Champions Cup destruction of Montpellier last month.
Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
