The IRFU have done good smart business with the confirmation of 4 new deals of varied lengths for messers Sheehan, Gibson Park, Aki and Van Der Flier with Sheehan signing a new 3 year deal with Gibson Park and Van Der Flier signing for 2 years each and Bundee Aki getting a fresh 1 year deal.
All 4 men have played key parts in Ireland success in recent years including a Grand Slam in 23 and a Championship win in 2024. This is a good move and of course the timing of the announcement is good thinking straight of the back of the final round win over Scotland.
All players will now go back to focus on club action with the URC kicking back into gear this weekend with Munster in South Africa, Leinster facing Glasgow and an Irish derby with Ulster taking on Connacht.
Scott Bemand has signed a fresh deal until 2029 after that year’s World Cup to lead the Women’s team. It shows the IRFU are slowing moving to tie down key cogs over the next period of time. Andy Farrell will also sit down with the IRFU to review the 6 Nations just gone as well speaking about his own future with his latest deal ending after the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
The work is being done as seen with the announcements of those deals over the past 24 hours. David Humphreys knows he will have competition for Andy Farrell’s signature on a new deal with Saracens and maybe even the RFU looking at trying to bring him back to English rugby. The work is being done by those in the IRFU but it is still a case of a lot done and more to do…. 6 Nations 2026 has ended and now focus turns to the Nations Championship starting in July.