PIC: Joey Carbery & Joe Schmidt Spotted ‘Having A Coffee’

What’s on the agenda?

Joey Carbery’s future is yet to be decided, with the Ireland and Leinster outhalf linked with a move to Ulster in recent weeks as the northern province look to fill the void left by Paddy Jackson.

The IRFU are said to be looking to orchestrate a move, with Performance Director David Nucifora and Head Coach Joe Schmidt meeting with Leinster officials in recent weeks.

Schmidt and Nucifora are said to be keen to move either Carbery or teammate Ross Byrne up north in search of more game time at ten, with Leinster said to be in favour of moving the former if a deal if forced due to his international commitments.

While both players are said to be reluctant to move, it appears Schmidt and the IRFU are willing to do everything in their power to convince one of them that a move would be in their best interests.

Ulster director of rugby Bryn Cunningham confirmed over the weekend that the IRFU are currently trying recruit a ten for them, and that they’ve been discussing the situation with Leinster.

“At the moment the IRFU are working in that area with Leinster around that 10 scenario,” Cunningham said.

“We are not really involved in that. There are two sides to anybody moving within the Irish system. There’s what’s right for the player and him wanting to go and get more game time.

“On things like that, it’s a little bit outside our control. We will just sit back and see what the outcome of that is.”

And now a picture has been doing the rounds of Schmidt and Carbery sitting down for a coffee, perhaps trying to resolve his future, and convince him to make the move north.

Nathaniel Cope of RugbyPass has further backed up that notion – stating Schmidt and Carbery did indeed meet over the weekend, with the Ireland boss hoping he can convince the 22-year-old that leaving Leinster is in his best interests.

Will the youngster be persuaded by Schmidt? Or will he decide to stat at Leinster and continue to battle Ross Byrne and Johnny Sexton for more time at ten? Only time will tell. One thing we do know though – is this is far from over.

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