Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

It is nonsense, because a challenge can only be brought by an entity who has legal standing to bring it - so you would need an actual injured party.

For that to happen, you'd have to have a NIQ prop who one of the provinces wanted to sign but was unable to do so because of this rule. So effectively, you'd need one of the provinces (branches of the IRFU) to align with the challenge, or effectively one part of the IRFU to sue another part.

As the IRFU have said many times none of this is written down or a law etc. So if you are trying to take a legal case then what exactly is it against?

Ireland is the 2nd team in the World, have been number 1 for the longest a NH team ever has, you go to court and rightly the IRFU can point to Irish players been more than good enough and that is why they are picked

If a province wanted to challenge it, off they go, IRFU could withdraw all the money they give them and they can sign whoever they want

So it's not nonsense. It's possibly against EU law. But since no one will challenge it then it's grand.

I even acknowledged that the provinces would be very unlikely to challenge it but that doesn't mean it's legal.

Team is as speculated.

Doris captains, Beirne moves to blindside with Ryan and McCarthy now starting in the second row.

Henshaw and Nash are both starting, speculation was Aki and JOB I thought.

I don't see the benefit of having POM on the bench though. He's not an impact player. Baird is a better back row than second row at this point of his career as well.

Could potentially see Baird and POM come in as back rows though.

Just to clarify, Are you saying that it definitely isn't against EU law, or that no one is likely to challenge it so it doesn't matter.

Only way I can see it

POM comes on for VDF, let him empty the tank over 50 mins

Baird comes on for one of Beirne/Ryan/McCarthy……the two remaining go second row

I'm not saying it's that simple - but I'm saying that is effectively what is happening here. The IRFU aren't fools in this regard either, and will know where they stand on this.

The comparison posted earlier in the thread, around Royal Antwerp's dispute around the Belgian league/UEFA's rules around minimum number of homegrown players in their match squad isn't comparable at all IMO.

The bosman ruling was because players could be finished their contract and still not allowed move from the club without a transfer fee. In the case of Bosman another club wanted him, transfer fee was too high and his club reduced his wages by a significant amount, he couldnt move

In this case the IRFU are saying they are going to concentrate on bringing young players up via the provinces. No idea how this would be seen as against employment law etc

If someone from Spain/etc walks into Ireland and can't play rugby they are not entitled to get a contract with IRFU to keep the numbers balanced.

No idea how this started, no company or sports organisation has to hire people from Europe even if they have no skills. That would be ridiculous to force.

MNC in Ireland use the benefit of been in Europe to go into European countries and offer contracts to suitable people to come work in Ireland and they don't have to get them visas etc. If a hugely talented player from Europe dropped into Ireland and was offered to the provinces would they take them up? maybe but it's not against the law to tell them they have no jobs available

Exposure to Ireland training. Prepare them for the years to come. And use them in case of emergency now. Lots of player were never going to get gametime with only two tests.

Surely if you follow this to its logical conclusion, then the World Rugby rules on eligibility for national teams are also contrary to EU law.

If the IRFU cannot discriminate in hiring EU nationals, then they cannot be discriminated against in terms of career progression, i.e. playing test rugby. So by the same "logic", we can sign Antoine Dupont to Connacht and pick him for the November internationals.

It's nonsense, and I'm amused that this guy is so publicly advertising what a bad lawyer he is.