IRFU Funding Model changes

Well this is quite something. It'll be interesting to see how it's applied in practice over the next twelve months

The flaw in the system is rewarding provinces for good development of players

The new system means you are rewarding other provinces for not developing players.

Doesn't make sense to me, as soon as the pendulum swings the same people complaining now will be wanting it changed again to suit the province who develops players.

It'll be interesting to see how it's applied in practice 

I'd say we've just seen as much detail as we're ever going to see, to be honest.

Yeah it strikes me as a bit quasi-transparent alright.

But I didn't mean "it'll be interesting to see more details soon", but rather "it'll be interesting to see how's this shapes the look of provincial squads over the next 12-18 months"

IRFU CEO

“We hear loud and clear from our players that Ireland is the best place for them to play rugby, owing to our exceptionally high player welfare standards and game management, and that is something of which we are immensely proud. The strength of rugby in Ireland is aligned to having four healthy, competitive provinces and the IRFU remains committed to delivering this in a financially sustainable manner.

“In essence, this new model is simpler, more transparent, more equitable and delivers better incentivisation and alignment. We will however continue to review the model annually which will also need to take account of the pending release of new strategic vision for rugby in Ireland. I would like to thank all the provinces for their support and participation in this review and we look forward to implementing these changes for the betterment of rugby in Ireland. ”

The 30% is a key here. Wouldn't that take up a considerable part of the 8 mill. It looks to me that they're "leveling" the talent pool. In other words, an increase of funds to the weaker provinces and an opportunity to raid from the productive province. It's rewarding the non performing provinces.

Obviously, if all the provinces are benefitting from the payout and 1 province provides more in gate receipts, international players etc, it's rewarding the poor performers.

You wouldn't have been saying this back when all the Leinster people were supporting Munster.

Some provinces tends to produce more than others through a quirk in history where the planters decided to set up their private schools in certain areas on the East. Not because one province applied its self better and worked harder than the rest.

Should the performing teams be responsible for the weaker teams? Equitable to me, is all provinces are the same. I see it as Leinster being the cash cow and then being reduced or penalised.

It seems a bit knee-jerk that they'd make the changes so soon after there was fuss about Leinster having so many CCs.

If we continue to see the Leinster second string not being as good at winning games as when Lancaster was here players like Deegan will be much less attractive to the other provinces and talk of Leinster being able to hoard talent because they have 10 centrally contracted players off their books will go away.

Ultimately, the IRFU are a very pragmatic organisation. They're not going to kill the goose that laid the golden egg. Leinster have produced a lot of quality internationals for Ireland, and the national team generates 80% of the revenue. If these changes tip the balance too far then the necessary corrections will be made back the other way.

I don't know if the gate receipts go into a general IRFU pool or stay with the province.

Yep, and every new signing, contract or retirement will be framed as either being driven by the new rules or that the new rules have had absolutely no effect, and it will impossible to confirm or contradict either take.

The assumption is that it is 30m, based on everything we know with the IRFU I can't seem them increasing player wages by 33% at the drop of a hat. Especially when everyone has been told for the last 12 months they have to tighten their budgets

If the provinces with central contracts are now asked to pay more, then those wages will have to come from somewhere. So they will come from other players in the squad, so the likes of Leinster will have to let more players go.

These players will in reality move abroad more than stay in Ireland, some will stay but I can see the majority moving. The dream of players suddenly moving to other provinces will still end up taking slots from players in those provinces and they will have to move abroad.

I don't see the logic here, if a player is good enough to be on a central contract then they are good enough to be on a central contract.

I get what you are saying. I agree with you. But!! The union is culpable here too. The union fecked up the provinces by bringing in Keane, van Grann. Friend etc. The responsibility for for these hires lays in D4. D4 was approving Van Grann for an extension. I understand the frustration for fans and I do see why they'd be pissed off. I think the reality is one colossal fcuk up after fcuk up in relation to coaching/ upper management. Ulster have suffered due to this. The fault lays squarely with the union. Teams suffer with useless coaching. Gate receipts are less and players get frustrated. Imagine playing at Connacht with the insane clown posse as the coaching team!

Why would they never be able to compete?

Munster for instance have an excellent number of players coming oevr the next few years, Connacht have progressed massively. Ulster have huge potential with a large population

None of the provinces, including Leinster, can claim they have maximised the population in their province, not even close to it. So saying they will never be able to compete is nonsense to me.

Head coaches are IRFU appointments. When a head coach role is advertised, it's applied to the IRFU directly who subsequently hire and pay for the head coach at each of the provinces