Simon Easterby confidently addresses Jack Crowley exit rumours as Leicester launch bold bid
Simon Easterby hopes Jack Crowley will stay in Ireland
Ireland interim head coach Simon Easterby is “confident” fly-half Jack Crowley will remain in the country after shock links with a move to Leicester Tigers.
According to a report by the Daily Mail, the Munsterman has attracted a huge bid from the Premiership outfit for next season.
The Tigers are in the market for a new fly-half, with current number 10 Handre Pollard returning to South Africa next year and Jamie Shillcock heading to France.
Easterby ‘confident’ Crowley will reject Leicester Tigers advances
Crowley has found himself second in the fly-half depth chart so far this Six Nations, with Easterby starting Leinster starlet Sam Prendergast in their previous four Tests, and that has added some fuel to the fire of a potential exit.
However, Easterby is confident Crowley will remain in Ireland for the foreseeable future.
“Jack knows how important he is to us,” the interim boss told the media ahead of his side’s Six Nations finale against Italy.
“Regardless of selection, he understands his role and his standing within the group.
“He’s a brilliant person first and foremost. He’s a great pro, he’s always looking to get better.
“We believe that for him to keep getting better, getting experiences at this level and keep driving us forward as a team and being competitive in the number 10 position in particular, it’s important that he plays his rugby in Ireland and we’re confident that will continue to happen.”
If Crowley was to move to Mattioli Woods Welford Road next season, he would be ineligible to represent Ireland at Test level with the IRFU not picking anyone outside of the four provinces for the national team.
At the time of writing, Crowley does not have an IRFU central contract, and his current deal with the Limerick-based side expires at the end of the current season.
The fly-half has spent his entire career with Munster, and has made 65 appearances since his debut back in 2020. He also has 25 Ireland Test caps to his name.
