THESE HAVE BEEN a happy few weeks for Jack Crowley.
Having returned to Ireland’s number 10 shirt for the final game of the Six Nations, the 25-year-old was player of the match in Munster’s win over Connacht two weekends ago, then helped his province home against La Rochelle last Saturday with an excellent performance that included a brilliant drop goal, again being named player of the match.
And now Crowley has been able to settle Munster fans’ nerves with official confirmation of his new two-year contract.
It’s not a national IRFU deal, as many supporters were hoping would be the case, but Crowley and his camp were evidently happy with the final offer from Munster.
Crowley was already on a PONI [player of national interest] contract. With a PONI deal, the IRFU gives additional funding to a province in specific cases so the province can make a bigger offer to a player who is part of Ireland’s plans.
Crowley is understood to have signed a new and improved PONI deal with Munster, and he will probably back himself to earn a national IRFU contract next time around.
What really matters is that Crowley is staying where he is, having attracted an offer from Premiership side Leicester. The Cork man always wanted to continue playing for Munster and Ireland, so though finalising the contract was sticky, he is going nowhere.
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Crowley could have earned a bigger base salary by moving to Leicester but there are additional financial incentives in Irish rugby to consider.
Jack Crowley is enveloped by Alex Nankivell, Simon Zebo, and Shane Daly. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Players who are involved with the Ireland team can enhance their salaries with match fees and winning bonuses, while individual sponsorship deals in Ireland can be lucrative, and the sportsperson’s relief means they can claim tax back upon retiring.
Every player needs to make sure they’re paid what they’re worth, but this decision mainly came down to Crowley’s desire to play for Munster and Ireland.
Incoming Munster head coach Clayton McMillan took the chance to visit the province last week while his Chiefs side were on a bye week in Super Rugby, and the New Zealander will be delighted that Crowley’s new deal is now confirmed.
Moments like that drop goal in La Rochelle show how key Crowley is to Munster’s future. He was an important figure in their URC success in 2023, but he and the province don’t want that to be an isolated bit of silverware.
Crowley’s skillset will be important under McMillan and his mindset might be even more influential. He and halfback partner Craig Casey are still only 25, so they’re ideally placed to drive the province forward in the next few years.
Right now, Crowley and Casey are hoping they can help Munster take another big step by beating Bordeaux on Saturday and reaching the Champions Cup semi-finals.
This new deal also means that Crowley will continue to be part of Ireland’s plans through to the 2027 World Cup at least. Whatever one’s sense of who should be starting at number 10, it’s clear Crowley will be prominent in Andy Farrell’s set-up for this cycle.
Every player faces challenges throughout their careers and though it looked like Crowley was on his way to becoming the established starter at out-half for Ireland when they won the Six Nations last year, he’s now in a battle with Sam Prendergast.
Crowley started Ireland's most recent game at 10. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
Prendergast has also signed a new contract with Leinster, so having both of them tied down is hugely positive for Irish rugby. There may be others who push that pair in the coming years, but Crowley and Prendergast are ahead of the chasing pack for now.
Four starts in the Six Nations underline how highly Prendergast is rated by Farrell and his assistants, but Crowley remains a class act. He will be doing his best to block out the noise around this debate and swing it into his favour through his performances.
Munster initially offered Crowley a new two-year contract before the Six Nations and the hope was that a deal could be done swiftly, but Crowley was right to assess his options and take the time he needed to make a final decision. An Irish player attracting an offer from abroad is not unusual but sometimes, it just doesn’t get into the public domain.
Leicester’s offer came with a stronger base salary, yet the Tigers are not the force they once were and it’s still unclear who their head coach will be next season. The rugby offering isn’t exactly irresistible at the moment.
Playing for Munster and Ireland is what motivates Crowley and he will expect that the best is ahead with both. It would have been a huge shame for him to leave at this point and he surely would have always wondered what might have been had he opted to go.
The contract is signed and sealed now. Crowley can kick on with chasing silverware with province and country.
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Crowley can kick on with Munster and Ireland after sealing new deal
THESE HAVE BEEN a happy few weeks for Jack Crowley.
Having returned to Ireland’s number 10 shirt for the final game of the Six Nations, the 25-year-old was player of the match in Munster’s win over Connacht two weekends ago, then helped his province home against La Rochelle last Saturday with an excellent performance that included a brilliant drop goal, again being named player of the match.
And now Crowley has been able to settle Munster fans’ nerves with official confirmation of his new two-year contract.
It’s not a national IRFU deal, as many supporters were hoping would be the case, but Crowley and his camp were evidently happy with the final offer from Munster.
Crowley was already on a PONI [player of national interest] contract. With a PONI deal, the IRFU gives additional funding to a province in specific cases so the province can make a bigger offer to a player who is part of Ireland’s plans.
Crowley is understood to have signed a new and improved PONI deal with Munster, and he will probably back himself to earn a national IRFU contract next time around.
What really matters is that Crowley is staying where he is, having attracted an offer from Premiership side Leicester. The Cork man always wanted to continue playing for Munster and Ireland, so though finalising the contract was sticky, he is going nowhere.
Crowley could have earned a bigger base salary by moving to Leicester but there are additional financial incentives in Irish rugby to consider.
Players who are involved with the Ireland team can enhance their salaries with match fees and winning bonuses, while individual sponsorship deals in Ireland can be lucrative, and the sportsperson’s relief means they can claim tax back upon retiring.
Every player needs to make sure they’re paid what they’re worth, but this decision mainly came down to Crowley’s desire to play for Munster and Ireland.
Incoming Munster head coach Clayton McMillan took the chance to visit the province last week while his Chiefs side were on a bye week in Super Rugby, and the New Zealander will be delighted that Crowley’s new deal is now confirmed.
Moments like that drop goal in La Rochelle show how key Crowley is to Munster’s future. He was an important figure in their URC success in 2023, but he and the province don’t want that to be an isolated bit of silverware.
Crowley’s skillset will be important under McMillan and his mindset might be even more influential. He and halfback partner Craig Casey are still only 25, so they’re ideally placed to drive the province forward in the next few years.
Right now, Crowley and Casey are hoping they can help Munster take another big step by beating Bordeaux on Saturday and reaching the Champions Cup semi-finals.
This new deal also means that Crowley will continue to be part of Ireland’s plans through to the 2027 World Cup at least. Whatever one’s sense of who should be starting at number 10, it’s clear Crowley will be prominent in Andy Farrell’s set-up for this cycle.
Every player faces challenges throughout their careers and though it looked like Crowley was on his way to becoming the established starter at out-half for Ireland when they won the Six Nations last year, he’s now in a battle with Sam Prendergast.
Prendergast has also signed a new contract with Leinster, so having both of them tied down is hugely positive for Irish rugby. There may be others who push that pair in the coming years, but Crowley and Prendergast are ahead of the chasing pack for now.
Four starts in the Six Nations underline how highly Prendergast is rated by Farrell and his assistants, but Crowley remains a class act. He will be doing his best to block out the noise around this debate and swing it into his favour through his performances.
Munster initially offered Crowley a new two-year contract before the Six Nations and the hope was that a deal could be done swiftly, but Crowley was right to assess his options and take the time he needed to make a final decision. An Irish player attracting an offer from abroad is not unusual but sometimes, it just doesn’t get into the public domain.
Leicester’s offer came with a stronger base salary, yet the Tigers are not the force they once were and it’s still unclear who their head coach will be next season. The rugby offering isn’t exactly irresistible at the moment.
Playing for Munster and Ireland is what motivates Crowley and he will expect that the best is ahead with both. It would have been a huge shame for him to leave at this point and he surely would have always wondered what might have been had he opted to go.
The contract is signed and sealed now. Crowley can kick on with chasing silverware with province and country.
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Contract Deal Ireland IRFU jack crowley Munster PONI