IRFU targets World Cup semis and Six Nations title

The IRFU has announced a semi-final place in the 2011 World Cup and a Six Nations triumph as two of its key objectives for the professional game over the next four years. The targets are among a number outlined in Building on Solid Foundations, the second four-year plan that follows Growing the Game - Achieving Success.

In the latter, similar goals were set but never achieved after Ireland were eliminated in the group stages of the World Cup in France last year and fell short in the Six Nations, managing second twice in the last four tournaments.

Despite the lack of success on the pitch, the plan saw union revenues grow by €17.65million (32 per cent) to €55million and player participation increase by 39 per cent to 119,840.

The plan announced today focuses on improving the infrastructure "in all aspects of the domestic game"; increasing the number of adult players; winning tournaments in the professional game; and increasing revenue by a further 25 per cent to €69million before 2012.

The bar for success in the professional game has been set at reaching the last four in New Zealand in three years time, achieving another Heineken European Cup and Magners League title at provincial level, and ensuring Irish representation in the semi-finals of the former every year between now and 2012.

The provision of "world class medical support at national and provincial level" is also a priority, as is the presence of three Irish referees at the top of the international game.

Domestically, the emphasis is on good housekeeping at club level and an incentive, in the form of a "club award", will be established to help maintain standards, while it is hoped that 75 per cent of clubs will participate in a "management training programme".

The increase in playing numbers is expected to be helped by the development of floodlight games and higher standards "in age grade sport" to keep young players active in the game well into adulthood.

Announcing the plan today, chairman of the IRFU management committee, John Hussey, said: "All of us involved in Irish rugby must continue to challenge ourselves and set ever higher goals in order to maintain and build on Ireland's position as one of the leading rugby countries in the world.

"The competition in the professional environment is clear for all to see, but our ambition is to provide quality at all levels of the game to continue to build on the foundations of the domestic game, which is the key area for the success of Irish rugby.

"We have an exciting range of new initiatives that we are confident will enable domestic rugby to make great strides over the next four years," he added.