Rob Kearney agrees nine-month extension to stay at Leinster

Rob Kearney has confirmed that he has agreed a nine-month extension to his contract with the IRFU, meaning he will remain with Leinster until the end of next season.

The 33-year-old full back had been contracted until the conclusion of the World Cup, and in an interview with Joe Molloy on Newstalk's Off the Ball on Monday evening he confirms he had been looking for a longer extension than one season when represented by his father in negotiations with the IRFU's performance director David Nucifora.

“I get a nine-month extension – we will take it from there,” said Kearney, who has won 90 caps for Ireland as well as three for the Lions.

“It’s quite simplistic. It is probably exactly as you would imagine it would go, with dialogue back and forth. I suppose I have been very lucky that I can be a bit factual about [making my case for a contract], but part of the sticking point was nine months, versus a two-year contract, so I suppose that is where a little bit of a delay was.”

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Kearney had reputedly been offered a three-year deal by La Rochelle, but maintained: “[Money] wasn’t the most important thing for me this time round. There was playing in finals, with your best friends,” said Kearney of the reasons behind his decision to stay with Leinster.