RUGBY TALK (March)

This month Im discussing the way Irish rugby is run with IRFU having voted in a new way for the leagues to be run from 2005, Its an important topic at the moment. First of all what IRFU plan to do will only make things worse, basically the want to re-qualify teams in a provincal league. Where one from Connaught, three from Ulster, four from Munster and four from Leinster will qualify for Division one. With twelve teams still in the Division one the structure is the same. But the IRFU plans to cut costs by making these team amateur in name. This will lower the quality of players coming through but the IRFU are more worried about money. Under this system for example Waterpark of the 3^rd Division could be playing in the 1^st Division should they finish in the top four in Munster. All this will do is ruin the name of the League and the quality of it as well.

Now heres my plan. I think they should create a 1^st Division of 10teams instead of the usual 12. This will cut costs but keep it competitive. The key will be the 2^nd Division with 12 teams of which two can get promoted. These two Divisions should be highly competitive and sides promoted from Division should be able to use a draft system to recruit quality players ahead of the bigger teams. Only one will be relegated from this Division. Divison3 will consist of the rest of the teams split into two divisions of equal number with a cup between themselves. The top 2 in each section will play each other in a play-off with the winner gaining promotion to Division 3. Then a new rule comes in any team finishing bottom of there section twice in a row, should be replaced, by a club as decided by a panel of judges to be the best able to compete at this level. The Cup would be retained. Fewer games would be played when Provincial matches are on. And last of all the AIL should set-up a rugby school under the Leagues names for potential young talent from the Leagues Clubs. This wont be listened to but at least its better than what the IRFU want to do.