Non-Irish-Eligible/Qualified quotas for the Irish provinces

we tried this to solve a very specific problem in 2011.

https://www.irishrugby.ie/2011/12/21/irfu-player-contract-policy-agreed-to-aid-development-of-irish-qualified-players/amp/

Seems like the only problem we’d be trying to solve now would be gripes among fanbases about (allegedly) uneven treatment

not touching this with a barge pole

Everyone of these threads it's the same posters going on about the same time. we want more NIQ because that will magically make their provinces more competitive and in reality it probably won't

It will cost the IRFU more money, it will reduce the number of available players to ireland, players will lose out to NIQ either on game time or they will be let go from provinces as they try to afford to buy in NIQ.

None of the provinces are self sustainable, they are all held afloat by the IRFU. Even if the provinces all done a little better in Europe they would still be held up financially by the IRFU. Some of the provinces have huge loans that they are paying back over multiple years.

Like who in their right minds thinks the best thing in the middle of all of this is to start signing more overseas players?

We are losing irish qualified players last season and this season again because they are not getting enough game time at provincial level. How is more NIQ going to make that better?

No it doesn't, the French teams have signed plenty of overseas players and it doesn't make them any better. When you sign a NIQ they are not automatically a success. Plenty have come to Ireland and been a disaster across all of the provinces.

Jordie Barrett is a short term signing for Leinster and could be a disaster or it could work out. If we are going to just concentrate on one NIQ because it's a bigger name than usual I don't think it's much of a discussion now is it?

The provinces won't be out signing Barretts or names of that standard because they can't afford them, even in Barretts situation it is a family link is the only reason he is going to Leinster. If it came to money only he wouldn't be in Ireland would he?

In terms of the front row in munster, of course it is blocking an Irish player. Once they get a player in that position the fans will move onto the next so called weakness and want someone signed in that position, on and on we go.

It's not that difficult to figure out years in advance that you might have an issue in an area, Leinster also need to look at front row by the way, they should be going to the academy and saying right we need players in this position. Then working with the academy and with the IRFU on how to resolve the issue long term.

What makes him a "luxury player"? The whole premise of the NIQ was to sign top quality international players that can add to the squad. Now becuase one if a big name it is a "luxury player"? when is it not a "luxury player"?

The provinces can't afford them, the provinces are all propped up by the IRFU. None of them are self sustaining.

Munster who you keep going on about owe a loan to the IRFU which based on the last projections they won't have paid off for over 40 years. How is Munster able to afford NIQ and they can't pay off a loan?

As I said at the start, it's the same few posters crying and whinging about NIQ in the vague hope it will make their province a little better. Nothing about what is good for the game of rugby in Ireland, if it is good for young Irish players in the academy or for players in the squads who would get dumped as the provinces try to afford these NIQ's.

The provinces are only afloat because of the IRFU, none of them are self sustainable. If the provinces could claim they make enough money on their own from TV/stadium etc then you maybe could push the NIQ model, but still wouldn't see why.

Fairly simple stuff really, why would the IRFU want to spend money on players who can never add any value to the national side which is the reason rugby exists in Ireland. Plus as I mentioned getting in these players with no idea if they will or won't be successful and reducing the numbers of available players to the IRFU?

Maybe you could argue it has to be explored from time to time, but the amount of air time on boards is incredible to the same conversation over and over again. Plus it's the same posters over and over and over again. The same points, absolutely nothing new, just the latest in a poor me moan.

What exactly has changed sicne the last time this was discussed? in reality more Irish qualified players are due to leave Ireland because they couldn't get game time at their province(Joey, Moloney etc)

The academies seem to be improving across Ireland, so why now is the requirement to bring in more NIQ?

Loughman is a good player with 5 Ireland caps. With Healy and Kilcoyne approaching the end the benefit to Ireland of him starting Munster's biggest games certainly isn't zero. He's not a Farrell favourite, but he's a reliable option they can call on.

I'd agree with zero NIQs. At least for Leinster. Or I would have based on how Lancaster could develop the squad players. But it remains to be seen how that situation will evolve over the medium term. Already the 2nd XV seem less capable than before.

What bigger market? Irish provinces are playing in the same market as everyone else. We don't have the same spending power as the French sides and even some of the English sides.

So who are all these magical players that the Irish can sign?

The NIQ quantity will go up, the quality fo the signings will not

I’m sure the province could but trying to identify and sign players of quality is the issue

When The coach’s had more NIQ the quality was questionable for players as they just signed to fill a slot and ended up Irish players not getting the game time, so this has all been tried before and the number of players across the World hasn’t massively increased and the money available in other regions has increased

so you will end up with more quantity and less quality, blocking Irish players and making the Irish team weaker.