Peter O'Mahony will leave Munster if a contract with the IRFU is not agreed by January.
It is a somewhat ironic date to set as a deadline, given O'Mahony's debut for the province came on January 2 back in 2010 against Ulster. Since then O'Mahony has gone on to captain his club and his country but confirmed today that his future will be decided by 2018:
I’m hoping to have it wrapped up one way or the other regardless by the New Year to be honest.
Reported by the Irish Times, O'Mahony revealed he has multiple offers on the table and that he was leaving matters to his agent, Conor Ridge of Horizon Sports Management.
This time of the year you get offers from clubs in France and England. Look, I’m going to leave my agents to sort all that side of it. It’s very important for me to concentrate on two big tests this weekend and the following weekend against Leicester.
O'Mahony's current deal expires in July 2018 and it was recently reported negotiations had stalled between him and the IRFU. The possibility of losing a key figure in Irish rugby is one the rugby public will be desperate to avoid which will make December a crucial month for discussions.
Munster are in action in the European Champions Cup this Saturday as they welcome Leicester Tigers to Thomond Park. With the news already confirmed that Simon Zebo will join Racing 92 next season, there will be serious angst in the province around the possibility their captain follows him out the door.
O'Mahony captained the Lions last year and the interested English club are seeking a new captain. Writing in his Irish Examiner column recently Ronan O'Gara compared the decision facing O'Mahony to Zebo's and suggested the UK may be a better option than France:
It was a relatively straightforward decision for Simon Zebo. He’s always had a hankering to live in Paris, he’s got family here, and wanted to try the Top 14. Plus he speaks the language. I’m not sure if Peter O’Mahony will leave Munster, but if the sums don’t stack up at home, maybe the UK is a better option for him.
Munster fans will hope IRFU performance director David Nucifora will table an offer satisfactory for O'Mahony this month. Otherwise, they risk losing their star back-row.
You can read the Irish Times piece here.
