BERNARD JACKMAN SAYS that the IRFU and Munster don’t appear to be “on the same page” in how they have communicated with Peter O’Mahony regarding his future and he believes that both parties have combined to make “an absolute balls” of O’Mahony’s contractual situation.
The 34-year-old flanker was last week appointed Ireland captain ahead of this year’s Six Nations but, as things stand, his IRFU central contract is set to expire this summer, after which Munster would need to sign O’Mahony to a separate contract if they intend to retain his services.
On Monday’s Rugby Weekly Extra podcast, it was the understanding of both Jackman and host Gavan Casey that O’Mahony was made aware some time ago that his central contract was unlikely to be extended, and that Munster had more recently informed their former skipper that they don’t believe it feasible to absorb his salary as part of a new deal from next season.
Both of these scenarios, of course, are subject to change, particularly in light of O’Mahony’s appointment as national-team captain.
But the Cork man declined to comment on his future at today’s Six Nations launch event in Dublin and, for the moment, he appears to be caught between a rock and a hard place contractually as he prepares to lead Ireland in their defence of last year’s Grand Slam.
And speaking on today’s RWE, Jackman called for an immediate resolution to an “awkward situation” for the Ireland centurion.
“My understanding of it is that the IRFU expected Munster to give him a contract,” Jackman said. “But how can that not be clear?
“My understanding again is that Munster said there’s nothing for him… And then he’s made Irish captain!
“So, Andy Farrell obviously believes that he has a huge role to play in the next World Cup cycle. And that might be just three months — but I doubt it. I don’t think Farrell is that short-term that he’d make you captain just for the Six Nations.
“It sends a bad message to the rest of the squad that you’re a one-province player, you’ve put your body on the line over 14 or 15 years for your country and your province, and you’re just let go — and let go at a time when you’ve just been made Irish captain for the Six Nations!”
"Between the two of them, it hasn't been handled well." 🗣️
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"Pete has been caught in the middle"
"We've left him in a poor situation"@bernardjackman is disappointed that Peter O'Mahony's future is still up in the air 🔴
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Jackman suggested that O’Mahony might not presently feel especially “valued or loved”, be it in the red of his province or the green of his country.
He criticised the apparent lack of a linear process in this instance between the IRFU and Munster, both of whom would appear to have pointed O’Mahony in the direction of the other as his current central contract deal enters its final months.
Jackman contended that the IRFU “should not have had that conversation without clarity that Munster were 100% not going to contract him”.
“It’s too easy to go, ‘Go back to your province,’” he added.
“It seems as though this has all played out by surprise to a certain extent. The two [parties] that have been involved with Pete for nearly all of his professional career — and who have paid him for all his professional career — didn’t seem to be on the same page.
“And who’s left in the awkward situation? The player!
We pride ourselves on very much looking after people properly, especially people who have given you that longevity and that service. And in this situation, we’ve made an absolute balls of it. We’ve made a balls of it.
“I don’t blame Munster in isolation at all. And now the blame is maybe being pushed on them. But the reality is, between the IRFU and Munster, it hasn’t been handled well.
“I don’t know whether one side of the discussions didn’t do what they said they were going to do, or whatever, but Pete’s been caught in the middle.
“He’s going to be doing press today as Ireland captain… And we’ve left him in a very poor situation. His employers have done that.”
Jackman stressed, however, that the situation could be quickly rectified, be it through the extension of O’Mahony’s central contract, a joint contract between the IRFU and Munster, or a new provincial contract.
“I know that the IRFU and Munster were able to give a hybrid contract to Simon Zebo,” he said. “I don’t care, really, who pays the money, but I just think it’s wrong that we’re allowing this happen to a player [who has given so much to Irish rugby].
“Look, mistakes happen in negotiations, but this is something that probably should have been done last week, to be honest. It has to be fixed this week.”
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