Jamie Heaslip is one of the elite players who will have plenty of contract options, however, there are others who are not so lucky STEPHEN MCCARTHY/SPORTSFILE

Sitting in the car park of Cork Constitution RFC, I remember looking tentatively at the A4-sized booklet. It took a few minutes for the bold black letters to sink in. A contract of employment between the Irish Rugby Football Union and me. For two years. It was hard to believe. Two years earlier I had just finished college, wondering how I might get a job. Now I was in a position that would define the next decade of my life.

The negotiating process for my first senior professional contract had been straightforward and simple – there was no agent or protracted discussions. The Munster Branch offered me a deal and I took it straight out of the hands of chief executive Garrett Fitzgerald. Now I was sitting in the car trawling the details – "player obligations and undertakings" – mentally rushing to the back page where I knew, regardless of the conditions, I would sign on the dotted line.

HUNGER

That process of getting your first contract is far removed from later deals. Players are extremely eager and naïve the first time round. I know I was, and in a way that is good sign of a player's hunger and attitude. But later, a lot more factors come into play, when agents come on board with offers from other clubs, and you develop a greater awareness of your own value.

These factors are no doubt featuring in the IRFU's current negotiations with high-profile players, among them Jamie Heaslip and Sean O'Brien, who have been in outstanding form this season. Complicating the situation further is the speculation around the future of the European Cup and the recent announcement of the Welsh clubs backing the Anglo/French proposals. It's creating more pressure and uncertainty.

There are legitimate concerns around player welfare due to the high number of games they would have to play in France. But it's hoped the IRFU would not use this as a bargaining tool to coerce players to stay in Ireland.

In negotiations, players must be valued on their merits as opposed to an assumption about the potential injury risks they could face in France or England. Even without these issues, there is no doubt that the period around securing a contract is the most stressful in a player's career. As one former team-mate told me, "everyone just gets very jumpy."

The majority, though, aside from possibly the emerging talent in the academy or on development contracts, will have agents or representatives that will be a crucial help. Players themselves will have very little direct involvement in the negotiations.

There is an awareness within a squad of certain undefined categories that likely determine the type of contract individual players will get. Depending on the group into which you fall, anxiety and stress levels can vary.

Firstly, there are the high-profile international players. Here, guys are likely to have a number of alternative offers to consider. During negotiations they have their own experience in these situations to fall back on, and can rely on support to help them finalise details.

Next up are the relatively well-established players who are fairly secure in their future. These players are considered central to the team's Pro12 performances, as well as playing a crucial role in the changing-room and the atmosphere within the squad. They are the glue that holds the squad together and are also likely to have a number of alternative options when it comes to renewal time.

In the last category, there is a curious mix for whom the future is not so clear-cut. It includes emerging young players moving up from academy level or making a breakthrough from a development contract.

Then there are the guys at the opposite end of the spectrum – players coming to the end of their careers (but who may not be ready to admit that), lads who for whatever reason have fallen out of favour, through injury or loss of form, and are looking at other options.

Christmas, January and even later tends to be an uncertain time of year, as contracts for these players are usually the last to be resolved.

It is this last group that are the most vulnerable. Players who have put their life on hold in order to concentrate on their careers could suddenly be told that their contract will not be renewed and they are left to pick up the pieces at very short notice.

One thing that is common to all players is the intense dread of the process dragging on long into the season without being resolved. No player wants to be training in March or April, without knowing where he will be in two months' time.

I know of one player starting a match in March, several seasons back, having not played in a while. He ran onto the pitch knowing that a decision on his contract hinged on the next 80 minutes of rugby. The scrutiny was intense.

The one-year deal usually provides the most insecurity. Yet one of the more remarkable aspects of iconic Connacht captain Michael Swift's career is that that the majority of his deals have been for terms of 12 months. He is someone, pretty rare in rugby, who clearly thrives on that pressure.

The biggest asset when it comes to negotiations is knowing your value, in your specific position, be it back-row, prop etc. You may talk about salary brackets, but only with close team-mates and likely not those you are competing with for a place. In this regard, your agent is the vital source of information in terms of knowing how much you can realistically earn, and the value put on other players in your position, and at your level.

Much has been made of the power of the French teams to move in and sway high-profile players with huge salary offers. But the over-riding concern for players in this situation is not about getting as much money as possible, but receiving an offer that they feel reflects their value.

To be offered less than that can be perceived by the player as a slight on their self-worth, and damage negotiations, sometimes beyond repair.

Irish Independent