It was unfortunate, to say the least, that controversy and dissatisfaction marked the closing stages of the AIB League first division. It was not satisfactory that Garryowen, Young Munster, Cork Constitution and Shannon had to play three matches in the space of a week, culminating last Saturday in the final series of matches to decree the top four. It certainly did not help their chances of making it into the knock-out stages.
But while there is considerable sympathy for the clubs concerned, one wonders in view of recent events what the position will be like next season. There are times when it is hard to understand the logic and reasoning behind some decisions. Last May it was announced by the IRFU that the All-Ireland League would from next season on, consist of three divisions of 16 teams, with the first division being split into two sections of eight clubs with each club meeting the other twice in their section and then semi-finals and a final would be played to decide the league champions. But alas we will not have that for the clubs have opted for a one-section first division of 16 clubs with each meeting the other once. That means 15 matches, four more than this season. Where one wonders will that lead this time next season.
Personally I believe to have 16 teams in Division One is ludicrous. Do we really have 16 clubs of Division One standard? We most certainly do not. The top division should consist of a maximum of 10 clubs and even better still eight. That too, I know, is the view held in some clubs. I know the arguments about spreading talent around and incentives. The reality is that most of the best players will in any case go to certain clubs.
I would make the point, too, that since the inauguration of the AIL only four clubs, Cork Constitution, Shannon, Garryowen and St Mary's College have been ever present in the top division. Only four clubs have ever won the title, there will be a fifth this season. I can see some fixture congestion and scorelines of record proportions in that 16 club set-up.
Meanwhile, a most import development is imminent. A cap is to be put on the payments to be made to players by the clubs from next season. With that in view they have received a document from the IRFU laying down the laws in that area. The clubs have agreed in principle, they must now reply officially in time for the union meeting on 12th May.
On the issue of the cap on payments, the maximum payable by a club to a player per season between match fees and win bonus must not exceed £3,500; for any one match the maximum payable by a club to a player shall not exceed £200 to be split in such a manner as may be decided by the club between match fee and win bonus; the total of all payments by a club to all its players by way of match fees and win bonus must not exceed £50,000 per season. The maximum payments referred to above will not apply to payments by clubs to players in respect of the semi-final and final of the AIB League Division One. A university club will be permitted to provide for a player a bona fida bursary or scholarship up to a maximum of £3,500 per player per season. The university must supply to the IRFU full details of all students receiving a bursary before November 1st in each year.
THE regulations on the cap, will not apply to one player (who may or may not be an overseas player within the meaning of the AIL regulations) per club, provided that the club supplies to the IRFU details of such a player's contract before 1st November.
This means a club can have a full-time professional, such as a player coach who is not an IRFU contracted player.
All material benefits paid to players and details of amounts paid to each player must be disclosed to the IRFU. Each club must provide to the union, with the audited accounts, a certificate from the club auditor stating the material benefits paid by the club to players for a season. Some stringent laws there. But this is being done at wish of the clubs and it is up to them to implement those laws.
The problem in relation to the closing stages of the AIL this season is the by-product of Munster's advance to the semi-final of the Heineken Cup. In fact it was known that if Munster reached the cup semi-final, then this problem was going to arise. With that possibility in view, in fairness it must be stated that a letter was written to the clubs suggesting that the Garryowen-Young Munster and Shannon-Constitution ties be played in midweek after Munster's quarter-final win over Stade Francais. That would have meant that, apart from the players who had played for Munster in the quarter-final at least the clubs concerned would not have had the vast majority of their players tied into three matches in the space of a week last week. That suggestion was rejected.
In conclusion I will leave you with the proposed structure for next season.
The Heineken Cup is due to start on September 23rd and the pool stages to be completed on October 28th; the quarter-finals to take place on January 27th, the semi-finals on April 28th and the final on May 19th. It is proposed that the last two series of matches in the Interprovincial Championship be played on the two weekends before the Heineken Cup quarterfinals. Thus warm-up matches if Irish provinces are in the quarter-finals, if not, meaningful matches prior to the start of the Six Nations series. The AIL is due to start on December 2nd. Ireland would like the Heineken Cup to be completed before the Six Nations but that is very unlikely to happen.
