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

I don't think the IRFU have hard and fast rules on the situation and I do think that is a good thing. There should be an element of flexibility to it and I think they do generally treat it on a case by case basis.

I do think in general they err on the side of too much caution at times, being overly concerned with blocking IE players who frankly will never be good enough for Ireland anyway. But I would still say they broadly get it right.

I think making the "rules" so rigid and transparent was ultimately silly and they seem to agree as they've quietly dropped it.

My own take is that they seem to be more stringent with key positions like TH and 10, which makes sense.

In the main, they get things right, but it's a difficult one to square as for guys further down the national depth chart, an NIQ is no more blocking a player than an IQ who isn't anywhere near the international radar.

With my Munster hat on, front-row has been the obvious weakness for us for awhile now. As much as I had high hopes for Josh Wycherley, an NIQ loosehead could be a real game charger for us (tho Loughman has improved a lot in the last 12-18 months or so; I still think he has the occasional upright carry, but his handling and scrummaging seems to have come on a fair bit).

And Ireland selection shouldn't be the only criteria for sanctioning an NIQ signing. The competitiveness of the provinces should come into it too.

Like I said, if Josh Wycherley isn't anywhere near Ireland selection, then having an NIQ in that position doesn't block him any more than if Munster had signed Ed Byrne.

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

Of course it will. Munster, as an example, are a very good team with an absolutely sub-standard front row. An NIQ there will a) definitely improve them and b) not block anyone with the remotest chance of an Irish call-up anyway. It's the exact scenario a high-impact NIQ should be brought in for.

If we are going to go down the road of economics, it would certainly be a more intelligent use of funds than bringing in Jordie Barrett.

We are losing irish qualified players last season and this season again because they are not getting enough game time at provincial level.

Who is this? Cause I can't think of anyone we're losing that I would care about losing.

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

There's absolutely nothing "magical" about suggesting that a better player could improve a province and make them more competitive.

We are losing irish qualified players last season and this season again because they are not getting enough game time at provincial level.

Who, exactly?

even in Barretts situation it is a family link is the only reason he is going to Leinster.

It is in its hoop. He's going for a combination of the money and the squad and coaching. The rest is just plámás nonsense. You are the one who suggested the provinces and the IRFU can't afford more NIQs - if that was the case luxury players like Barrett should be the first ones to be refused. The provinces can, in fact, afford them, be it on their own or with outside help. It is getting the IRFU approval that is the issue.

An NIQ front row at Munster blocks an Irish player yes, but it blocks an Irish player who is functionally irrelevant to the Irish team. That not every NIQ player works out is also a terrible argument against bringing them in.

Finally, suggesting French teams haven't been any better because of their overseas signings is also utterly bizarre. It is just an incredibly wrong statement.

Imagine, fans of a rugby team suggesting a signing in a weak position that might improve them…

Still waiting on who these players are btw?

We are losing irish qualified players last season and this season again because they are not getting enough game time at provincial level.

Having Jeremy Loughman and Stephen Archer starting a knockout match for Munster provides literally zero benefit to the IRFU or the Irish rugby team over having a far more capable NIQ player. Blocking them signing a player there, and the end result being a capable IQ player in Ed Byrne moving to England anyway quite clearly shows the current system isn't working - Ireland have lost a capable IQ player anyway, and Munster's front row is still questionable which helps noone.

The NIQ system as stands is mostly fine, but there is something of a stubborn "any IQ player is better than an NIQ" element that I think is counterproductive.

Also neither Carbery or Moloney are leaving cause of not getting provincial game time or NIQ players coming in. They are leaving cause they're not gonna be first choice provincial players and won't play for Ireland and want to make more money elsewhere. It matters to Ireland not one tiny iota that Moloney is leaving.

So it has nothing to do about signing better players, it's just about signing players

This is a complete strawman; it's obviously about signing better players.

The two players you pointed to leaving because of a lack of provincial minutes were 1) Carbery, who wasn't blocked by an NIQ and 2) Molony, who has 0 Irish caps.

Molony leaving makes effectively zero difference to Ireland. I'm pretty sure you previously suggested he could return after his Bath contract and play for Ireland. With the best will in the world, that's just not going to happen.

So it makes zero difference to Ireland. In fact, you could argue that him staying would block gametime for younger, higher ceiling IQ options in the academy.