The perfect scenario.

Joey Carbery is reportedly close to switching the blue of Leinster for the white of Ulster  – but there’s a catch, and it could be good news for all parties concerned.

Des Berry of The Irish Independent is reporting that Carbery is ready to make the move up north, but the outhalf could be set to sign just a one-year contract with the northern province. The report states Schmidt and Carbery met for a discussion in a Dublin 6 café on Sunday, as seen in a photo going around this week.

Carbery moving on a one-year contract is probably the best outcome all parties can hope for. A move in time for next season sees Carbery play a full campaign at ten as the leading man in the build up to next year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan – exactly why Joe Schmidt and the IRFU want him to make the move.

If it works out – great news for Ulster and Carbery signs a new long-term deal with the northern province. If not – Leinster will surely welcome him back, Sexton begins to wind down after the World Cup, and we’ve got a two-way battle for the Leinster ten berth between Carbery and Byrne.

The important thing here is the decision is kept in the players’ hands. Carbery would basically be going on ‘loan’. Sure Leinster may be affected next season. Losing a player of Carbery’s ability will make it more difficult to compete both domestically and in Europe.

But we didn’t see them complaining when the IRFU let them sign James Lowe, despite the already ridiculous amount of back-three players both at Leinster and across the three provinces. And let’s not forget Scott Fardy – an international standard back-row, brought in and ‘converted’ to a second-row.

It works both ways lads – it’s your turn to give the IRFU a helping hand.