"There is a line of promising young guys coming through and I feel like Western Australia is the place I can best continue to develop my game and contribute to the team as we move forward," Pocock said. "I really felt this is the best decision I could make at this stage of my career and I'm looking forward to being here for at least the next two years.

"The coaches have done a great job developing the talent here and I think that is going to continue, so I'm pretty excited about the next few seasons here in Perth."

The IRFU's solicitors have made contact with the company requesting the advert's withdrawal and they have also contacted the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland over what they insist are "misleading claims". The poster for Hunky Dorys crisps features a woman in a low-cut blue vest leaning forward over a rugby ball asking: "Are you staring at my crisps?"

Padraig Power, commercial and marketing director of the IRFU, said: "This advertising campaign is in very bad taste and one which the IRFU would not want to be associated with in any way.

Raymond Coyle, the chief executive of Largo Foods, confirmed in an interview with the Irish Herald that the IRFU had no input into the advertisement. "The IRFU are absolutely right. They have nothing to do with it whatsoever. But we do sponsor Irish Rugby - we sponsor Navan Rugby Club," he said. "Our target was to bring humour and fun. These are dark times at the moment."

"It'll be a big buzz playing back in the Heineken Cup and although I still have ambitions to play for Wales again my first priority will be making the No.9 jersey at the Saints my own," he said.