Lowe bags a double in a 59-10 demolition — then immediately becomes a free agent. Peak shithousery or peak IRFU incompetence?

James Lowe is either the coldest negotiator in world rugby or Irish rugby is about to fumble the bag harder than England at a World Cup semi.

The New Zealand-born winger — who has been absolutely electric in green since qualifying for Ireland — scored two tries in Leinster's 59-10 demolition on Saturday. Brilliant, clinical, unstoppable. Then the final whistle went. And so did his contract.

Let's be clear about what happened here. Lowe essentially performed his own exit interview in front of 50,000 people. He scored two tries, ran 180 metres, beat six defenders, and then walked down the tunnel as a free agent. If that's not leverage, I don't know what is.

The IRFU's silence on the matter is either masterful poker or catastrophic negligence. Given their recent form in contract negotiations, it's probably the latter.

Lowe is 31. He has at least two more World Cup cycles in those legs. Losing him to Japan, France, or — God forbid — England would be a wound that wouldn't close for a generation.

Sort it out.