STUART LANCASTER SAYS he is in talks with Connacht about extending his contract and that there has been no contact with Leinster about taking over there when Leo Cullen departs at the end of the season.

Lancaster spent seven seasons as senior coach under Cullen and was identified in many quarters as a possible successor when the Leinster boss announced his intention to leave at the end of this campaign.

But Lancaster, who signed a two-year deal when he arrived in Connacht last summer, said there has been no contact with Leinster, and he is in talks with Connacht CEO Willie Ruane and IRFU Performance Director David Humphreys.

“Honestly, I’ve not had any conversation with anyone from Leinster,” said Lancaster as he prepares for Friday night’s URC opener against the Stormers in Galway.

“Either them ringing me or me ringing them. So, no, there’s no communication there.”

Lancaster and his wife Nina have settled well in Galway and on the field he made a huge impact in his first season.

Connacht have won seven of their last eight URC games to secure a knockout place in the league and a spot in this season’s Champions Cup when they will face four previous winners – Toulouse, Saracens, Exeter and Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle.

“Obviously, with my contract being up here, I’ve had some positive conversations with Willie and David. Nothing’s done, but Nina and I, we certainly enjoy living in Galway. We feel we’re getting started on the project.

“And for me personally, I want to get my teeth into it. So, yeah, really enjoying it, but nothing to announce.”