A Full List Of Ireland’s 16 Centrally Contracted Players
Latest posts by Will Matthews (see all)
- Former All Black Aaron Cruden reveals talks with Irish province - April 23, 2024
- Munster break incredible record that will have fans thinking one thing - April 23, 2024
- 2025 Six Nations Championship: A glance ahead to next year’s edition - April 22, 2024
Big earners.
Ireland central contract system has been a huge talking point in recent weeks thanks to their Six Nations Grand Slam success.
The system itself is nothing new. It’s been around for quite some time and has played a key role in Ireland’s success over the years. But not everyone is lucky enough to get one of these lucrative contracts.
At one point Ireland had as many as 20 players tied town to central deals. But that number has dropped to as low as 12 in recent years. Right now 16 players have IRFU deals, with two of them ending in the summer – Tommy Bowe is set to retire, while Jared Payne’s career is uncertain.
That will leave us with 14 players on central deals from next season, with CJ Stander, Tadhg Furlong and Iain Henderson the most recent additions. Do you think all the players below are deserving of central deals? Is there someone missing that deserves one?
June 2018
- Tommy Bowe (Ulster – 2018)
- Jared Payne (Ulster – 2018)
Post-World Cup 2019
- Sean O’Brien (Leinster – 2019)
- Keith Earls (Munster – 2019)
- Rob Kearney (Leinster – 2019)
- Robbie Henshaw (Leinster – 2019)
- Johnny Sexton (Leinster – 2019)
- Cian Healy (Leinster – 2019)
- Jack McGrath (Leinster – 2019)
- Conor Murray (Munster – 2019)
- Rory Best (Ulster – 2019)
- Devin Toner (Leinster – 2020)
- Iain Henderson (Ulster – 2021)
- CJ Stander (Munster – 2021)
- Peter O’Mahony (Munster – 2021)
- Tadhg Furlong (Leinster – 2021)
