James Lowe future uncertain as Leinster boss responds to exit speculation
James Lowe (left) has been linked with a move away from Leinster at the end of the season.
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has remained tight-lipped on the future of star winger James Lowe, amid ongoing exit speculation.
The Ireland international has been heavily linked with a move away from Dublin at the end of the season, with PREM outfit Northampton Saints reportedly one of the clubs in the hunt for his signature. His current contract expires at the end of the campaign.
While there has been no movement on Lowe’s current deal, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) have recently renewed the contracts of Dan Sheehan, Josh van der Flier, Jamison Gibson-Park and Hugo Keenan, while Bundee Aki has also signed a new deal with the union.
Any move away from Ireland at the end of the season would also see him become ineligible to play for Ireland at the 2027 Rugby World Cup, which would be his second with the national side.
Leo Cullen addresses James Lowe speculation
Despite speculation swirling around Lowe’s future, Leinster boss Cullen has remained non-committal.
“James will come out in terms of his own individual piece,” he said following Leinster’s win over the Lions in the URC quarter-final. “It’s not right for me to comment on him at this moment in time.
His words follow a previous admission earlier in the week that the situation was ‘ongoing’.
“These conversations are always ongoing,” Cullen said previously. “This end of the season, some people will move on, some of that is public knowledge, and some is not, but for all the people in between, it’s their business.
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“I know there’s great intrigue, but until the individual decides, then it’s their business.”
‘He brings great energy, always’
However, while Lowe’s future at the club is still a lingering question, he is very much impressing in the present. He notched his 100th appearance for the province in their 59-10 win over the Lions on Saturday, and marked the occasion with a record-setting brace to take him to 71 tries in the famous blue jersey.
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“He’s been a great character within the group (since he arrived),” Cullen reflected. “Very different. He brings great energy, always.
“We had a video there with some of the stuff he’s done in a Leinster jersey over his career. He’s been phenomenal, and there were two more classic James Lowe tries out there today.
“It’s amazing what he’s achieved in terms of his try-scoring record; it’s a phenomenal strike rate.
“He’s been such a great addition on so many levels; there aren’t many James Lowes running around the streets. He’s been a great addition to the group over the years.”
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