Madam, – On the Irish Rugby home page, you are greeted with a call-to-arms to “Save Irish Rugby” from the misguided plans of the Minister for Communications which will, apparently, have a detrimental affect on developing the game in Ireland.
Perhaps the IRFU will now add a second banner headline reading “Save for Irish Rugby” because the prices the association is charging for the autumn internationals and the Six Nations are so outrageously excessive that many a taxpayer will have to embrace frugality for a few months in order to afford a ticket. These are the same taxpayers that contributed €191 million to the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road.
If the association thinks a loss of TV revenue will negatively impact on rugby in Ireland, what impact will large swathes of the Irish public not being able to afford and therefore view rugby games have? – Yours, etc,