Waiting game.

IRFU performance director David Nucifora has revealed the union wanted to sign Tadhg Furlong to a longer contract but the tighthead prop refused.

Furlong was the last high-profile Irish international to commit to a deal beyond this season but the length of it confused a lot of people considering how valuable a player he is to Ireland and Leinster.

The 28-year-old is regarded by many as the best tighthead prop in the world and this mantle seems to have influenced his decision, with Furlong deciding to see what the financial landscape is like next year before committing long-term.

Nucifora added that they hope to sit down with Furlong again in the not too distant future and convince him to stay in Ireland beyond next season.

“The players all looked at the negotiating of contract during this period a bit differently,” Nucifora told media at his annual state of the union address.

“We would have liked to have contracted Tadhg for longer than one year but that was his choice.

“[He wants] to be able to sit back and say maybe the landscape will have changed in 12 months and that’s his prerogative to do that.

“We’re happy that he’s staying on and hopefully when we get back to the negotiating table with him and other players, we’ll be able to convince them that staying in Ireland is the best thing for their rugby but that’s a choice that they’ll all have to make.”