Two down, two to go.

Munster and Leinster fans got an early Christmas present yesterday afternoon, with the news that both Peter O’Mahony and Tadhg Furlong have both signed new three-year deals.

Both players are regarded as two of the very best in the world in their position, and retaining them both is a huge boost to Irish Rugby when you consider the riches on offer in England and France.

While both players could easily earn €700k+ across the channel, they would have to sacrifice their international careers, and the 2019 Rugby World Cup. That being said, both ended up with decent contracts off the IRFU.

According to The Irish Times, O’Mahony’s basic salary is €430k, but this jumps to over €500k with match fees, bonuses etc. Furlong meanwhile, is said to be on slightly more than O’Mahony, with his base salary believed to be around €450k, which shows how far the tighthead has come over the last 12 months.

Both their wage packets don’t factor any additional sponsorships or commercial deals, meaning they’ve both secured themselves pretty good deals, all things considered.

The next priority for the IRFU should be securing both Iain Henderson and CJ Stander to new deals, with both players set to earn in the region of €400k base if they sign.