IRFU plan to widen contractual net

IN a concerted effort to keep talented young Irish players from going to English clubs and to attract the Irish players currently playing in England back to this country, the IRFU is addressing the feasibility of contracting up to 100 players. This was announced last night by the IRFU after union officers had met with representatives of the 14 first division clubs in the Insurance Corporation All-Ireland League yesterday afternoon.

The IRFU has already written to the members of last season's Ireland schools squad which won the Triple Crown and went through Australia with a 100 per cent record, offering them bursaries to help with their academic careers.

It has also been agreed that a fully professional management structure at provincial level will be necessary to get the maximum return from having so many players under contract. The players will be contracted to the union and the president of the IRFU Bobby Deacy said: "The contracts will be on a tiered structure," but a vital element is that the contracted players must play with Irish clubs." The current situation is that only the 32 members of the IRFU senior squad are contracted, as well as four development players.

Discussions are also to be initiated with the Scottish Rugby Union about starting a competition between Irish and Scottish clubs. But the IRFU did reaffirm its commitment towards a three-tier structure club, province and country, as currently obtains. Whether that will placate the clubs who want clubs and not provinces in Europe, remains to be seen.

Deacy said that European competition representation was an issue discussed yesterday with the first division clubs. He also stated that the clubs made it very clear that it is imperative that the AIL starts early in the season and not in December like this season. "They also outlined their anxiety about finance and we are conscious of those problems."

There was good news for the clubs on that issue, in that the union has given a specific commitment to increase the current level of assistance to them. That could mean - among other benefits - a considerable increase in the level of finance given towards travelling and hotel expenses in the AID. However, it was emphasised that clubs at all levels, not just senior are under financial pressure.

The honorary treasurer of the IRFU, John Lyons, is examining this matter, which he described yesterday as "a particularly complex issue." But a full statement on the new financial benefits will be made before a meeting on November 17th between the IRFU and representatives from all the senior clubs in the country. In addition to that meeting, the officers of the IRFU will also be having a further meeting in the future with the clubs.

As anticipated, the current structure of the AIL will be maintained this season, but a full assessment of the format and structure for the future is under way and that will be done in consultation with the AIL clubs. The value of inaugurating an All-Ireland Cup (to be played on a seeded basis) is also being explored. The feasibility of such a competition and its effect on the existing provincial cups is to be reviewed.

The discussion with the clubs, described as "frank and cordial," had followed a meeting of the IRFU committee last Friday, when all the representatives from the various branches who are on the committee, presented the views as explained to them by clubs throughout the country. The decisions taken at the meeting last Friday formed the basis for the discussions yesterday.

Last Friday's meeting lasted five hours and did agree on a number of critical issues outlined above, but the meeting will reconvene on Friday, October 11th.

The consensus of the IRFU is that the objective of contracting 100 players is attainable. Nor will there be undue delay. In an effort to expedite the matter, a sub-committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Billy Lavery. Lavery was the man who rewrote the laws of IRFU to bring them into line with the professional era. He was also chairman of the sub-committee that dealt with the international players' contracts. The sub-committee has been asked to present an interim report to the IRFU at its meeting in November.

On the issue of fully professional team management structure at provincial level, the methods of achieving and implementing this structure will also be examined by a sub-committee chaired by IRFU senior vice president Niall Brophy.

Deacy also said that the clubs had raised the issue of the number of clubs to form each division of the AIL. But that of course will be a central part of the discussions that will come in the appraisal of the format and structure for the league in the future, which will be done in consultation with the AIL clubs.

So. very positive and commendable initiatives and much still to be done as Irish rugby seeks to protect its most precious assets its players - and to chart a just and fruitful course for its constituent elements in the new professional era. It was agreed that the union officers will meet the first division clubs again before Christmas.