For all the fans anxious about Maro Itoje, the good news is that he is staying and will play the Six Nations in 2024.
The Rugby Football Union (RFU), which is the governing body for England Rugby, has made a significant move to retain Maro Itoje and Jamie Geroge, offering them hybrid contracts to stay in England.
These contracts come on top of the two players being key targets in Japan and France. The England rugby rule is that you must play your professional rugby in England to be eligible for national selection. Fans who are regulars at the ticket marketplace were concerned that they wouldn’t see Itoje again.
But the new deal allows players to earn up to around £160,000 per season on top of their existing club contracts with Saracens. This strategic intervention aims to prevent the duo from moving to clubs in France or Japan and helps the national coach have their services throughout the next two seasons.
The new contract structure replaces the previous system of match fees, offering players guaranteed payments regardless of selection or injury. For players like Itoje and George, this helps them make long-term decisions about their welfare, including opting for medical treatments or surgeries without missing out on match fees.
This news is comforting for many fans who are rallying with England to give their best at the Six Nations this time. Earlier, fans, despite being busy in the ticket marketplace, supported England skipper Owen Farrell on his decision to take personal time off.
Seeing Itoje continue giving his 100% in an England shirt is a good feeling for the fans.
Earlier England players such as Lewis Ludlam, David Ribbans, Joe Marchant, Jack Willis, Jack Nowell, Sam Simmonds, Joe Simmonds, and Jack Singleton have all ceased ties with the England sides to play for foreign clubs.
The national side eventually lost out on important players due to financial restrictions.
Now, the hybrid contract situation can help improve the situation.
Guinness Extends Partnership with the Six Nations
Guinness has extended their partnership with the Six Nations by securing the naming rights for the Men’s and women’s championships. The Women’s edition will now be known as the Guinness Women’s Six Nations, complementing the existing Guinness Men’s Six Nations.
This new agreement comes after TikTok’s early exit from the sponsorship of the women’s competition. The estimated annual value of this comprehensive deal, covering both tournaments, amounts to £15 million ($18.7 million).
Tom Harison, CEO of the Six Nations, expressed his excitement about the continued partnership, highlighting the potential to broaden the game and secure its future.
HE emphasized the growth opportunities presented in the women’s game through this partnership.
Stephen O’Kelly, the global brand director for Guinness, stressed the dedication to fostering inclusive rugby enjoyment. Guinness intends to use this partnership to take the women’s game forward and invite more fans to the stadium through the ticket marketplace.
Guinness was the Women’s Six Nations partner in 2019 but later disappeared. But the new partnership with the women’s competition is here to stay.
The 2024 Guinness Men’s Six Nations commences on February 2, followed by the 2024 Guinness Women’s Six Nations on March 23.
Andy Farrell Extends His Irish Contract
Ahead of the Six Nations, Ireland fans will be happy to hear that coach Andy Farrell will continue with the Irish side until the end of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Since taking over from Joe Schmidt in 2019, Farrell has achieved notable successes, including a Six Nations Grand Slam, a Triple Crown, and taking Ireland as the world’s #1 ranked side.
This effort from 2019 saw a massive influx of fans turning up to support the Ireland side with tickets from the ticket marketplace, and it will only increase.
Ireland was the clear favorite to win at the Rugby World Cup, but losing against the All Blacks marked an end to their run.
With a young team and many more international fixtures coming up in the next few years, the addition of Farrell on the side is invaluable.
In an IRFU statement, the 48-year-old expressed his pleasure in continuing his stint with Ireland, highlighting the joy of working with this team.
Farrell added that he is excited to see the new talents through the Ireland Under-20s as they build towards the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Excited about the upcoming chapter, Farrell emphasized the determination of the established players to make every day count when it comes to training.
He also expressed his family’s delight in extending their time with the team.
David Nucifora, IRFU’s performance director, praised Farrell’s contribution to maintaining the team’s high standards, attributing the success to the positive environment that Farrell has created.
With the extension, he is set to spend 11 years in Ireland. Notably, the timeline of his new deal leaves the possibility of Farrell potentially succeeding England head coach Steve Borthwick after the 2027 World Cup in Australia, which will also be the end of Borthwick’s contract with England Rugby.
But four years is a long time in professional rugby, and many things can happen in these four years.
Ireland Rugby Needs to Be Ahead
David Nucifora, the outgoing IRFU Performance Director, has stressed the need to innovate and maintain the competitive edge when it comes to staying ahead as Ireland prepares for one of the most challenging four years in its rugby history.
As he paved the way for his successor, David Humphreys, he made these comments for the sport to thrive and be even more successful.
Humphreys, a former Ulster and Ireland fly-half, is set to take over the role following a distinguished career in rugby administration, including stints at Ulster and Gloucester and positions in the cricketing realm. Nucifora has been at the forefront of the high-performance program for Irish Rugby and will step down after the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Nucifora highlighted the importance of staying ahead regarding high performance since it is essential for continuous evolution.
He stressed the need to nurture talent through a practical pathway to ensure Irish rugby retains the top talent coming through the system.
Looking at his career, Nucifora has several accolades under his tenure, including wins against New Zealand, the Six Nations success, and the development of player pathways.
He expressed pride in the transformation of the team’s mindset, noting that the current Irish teams approach games confidently and believe they can compete against any opponent. This mindset wasn’t there with the Irish teams a decade ago.
