Skivington praises Byrne's attitude as Gloucester exit and Perpignan move edges closer

Ross Byrne’s time at Gloucester appears to be drawing to a close, with talks over a move to French Top 14 side Perpignan said to be well advanced, though head coach George Skivington declined to confirm any details when asked directly about the Ireland international’s future.

Byrne, 31, joined Gloucester from Leinster last summer in a high-profile move, but has struggled to adapt to the club’s style of play. The emergence of Charlie Atkinson as first-choice playmaker has effectively ended his involvement, with Byrne absent from all match-day squads since February. He has two years remaining on a contract reported to be worth £370,000 per season.

“I honestly cannot say anything. You probably know more than me,” Skivington said. “As you know, there are always moving parts, aren’t there? There are things that go well, but I can’t really comment on someone’s individual circumstances.”

Skivington pointed to Atkinson’s form as the primary reason for Byrne’s limited opportunities, noting the structure of the Gallagher Premiership schedule as a further constraint. “Charlie’s had a stellar season and with the way the season works out, you have two Prem games, a break, two Prem, so you don’t really have the need unless you’re in another tournament. Game time’s been limited, and he’s obviously frustrated with that. He’s a competitive rugby player, but players’ futures are always in their hands, and they have to make their own decisions.”

Despite his complete absence from the matchday setup, Skivington was emphatic in his praise for Byrne’s conduct around the squad. “Ross has been very, very good. He’s trained every day and been positive. He’s run the opposition plays and is a high-profile player, but we’ve got a number of players who end up in these positions where they can’t get into the team, especially at the back end of the season.”

“He’s led the reserves, running the opposition plays, and worked really hard. He’s not let it affect him in terms of the squad mentality, and you’re always sympathetic to guys, especially if they’ve made a big move and it’s not at the moment where he wants it to be.”

Byrne won a Grand Slam with Ireland three years ago and claimed five United Rugby Championship titles during his time at Leinster. A move to Perpignan would represent a significant change of direction, taking him to a club fighting for relevance in the Top 14 rather than competing at the sharp end of European rugby.