IRFU won't budge on overseas selection policy if contracts issue results in high-profile departures
IRFU Performance Director David Nucifora says the Union are hopeful of being able to begin contract negotiations with their players in January amid growing uncertainty surrounding the futures of a number of senior international players. More than half of the 200 professional players in Ireland are believed to be out of contract next summer, including eight senior Ireland internationals.
Neither the IRFU – who centrally contract a number of Ireland’s key internationals – or any of the four provinces have yet to being contract negotiations with their players, and the ongoing uncertainty has raised some concern that the Union could lose high-profile players to more attractive financial offers from outside of Ireland.
And Nucifora has reiterated that any players who seek a move overseas will effectively rule themselves out of selection for the national team, outlining that the IRFU will not be reconsidering their unwritten rule of only selecting players based within the four Irish provinces for Test squads.
In Ireland, contract terms are generally agreed upon before Christmas, but the global health pandemic has forced the cash-strapped IRFU to hold off on entering negotiations with their players this year, although the Union did bring forward their annual financial review from December to November in a bid to get some clarity on their situation.
Speaking to the media today in his annual briefing, Nucifora explained that the IRFU are hoping to begin contract negotiations in early 2021.
“We would hope that there is some light at the end of the tunnel, and that we’ll be in a position just on the other side of Christmas to be able to hopefully have solutions that will enable us to start looking at our ability to sit down and contract our players going forward,” Nucifora said.
With the coronavirus pandemic having a major impact on sporting organisations around the world, the IRFU’s recent annual report announced a deficit of €35.7million. Twelve months previously the Union had recorded its best ever financial year, reporting a surplus of over €28m.
But the Australian outlined that he does not envisage players losing their jobs at the end of the current season.
“No, I don’t believe that’s a risk at all at this point in time,” he explained.
“I think the thing that we’ve had to do, the way any responsible business does, is look at the feasibility at where we’re going to be financially. It’s a really hard thing to predict in these times, with massive uncertainty. We had to make sure that we understood our financial situation before we entered into long-term commitments to the players.
“So understanding that situation and where we’re going to be puts us in a place to be able to make commitments that we can keep.”
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“Obviously when we’re contracting one, two, three years out sometimes, building up those types of liabilities, we have to be sure on our ability to meet those commitments and I suppose it’s just about the business being responsible and making sure that we are in a position when we do enter into negotiations, we know exactly where we stand, and that anything we put on the table, we’ll be able to stand by with our players.”
However, the IRFU will have to brace themselves for the prospect of some senior players being tempted by big money moves overseas.
Johnny Sexton, Peter O’Mahony, Tadhg Furlong, Keith Earls, CJ Stander, Cian Healy and Iain Henderson will all be out of contract in June 2021. And even in the current climate, Nucifora says the IRFU will not deviate from their policy of overlooking overseas-based players for Test selection.
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“We’ve got no intention of doing that at the moment. At the moment, the position we’ve been in, as we have been in all along, is if players choose not to play their rugby in Ireland, it’s unlikely that we would select them.
“It’s not a hard and fast rule. There is no hard and fast rule about that, we’ve never had one, but our attitude towards it wouldn’t change. We’d be selecting players who stay here and play for our provinces.”
Comments on RugbyPass
This team does not beat the ABs sadly
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
54 Go to comments