IRFU Player Contract Policy Agreed To Aid Development Of Irish-Qualified Players

[IRFU]

- One non-Irish eligible (NIE) player only in each of the 15 field positions across the provinces of Leinster, Munster and Ulster e.g. one foreign player allowed across all three teams per position.*

- For the 2013/14 season and onwards, for any given position involving a contracted NIE player, a province will not be permitted to renew that NIE player contract or bring in a new NIE player into that same position in its squad.
- All future provincial injury replacement players must be eligible for selection for Ireland.
- All future provincial non-Irish eligible player contracts will be position specific.
* The Connacht professional side is external to this process as it has recently commenced a new programme of structural and performance development agreed with the IRFU.

Source: http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/25137.php

 

[lynam1104]

Wait dose this mean we're not allowed NIQ's in a position that has a IQ as an option. It's a good in terms of development but NIQ's are important for development e.g Rocky Elsome.
Correct me if i'm wrong

 

[Conal]

from my understanding of it
is that between ulster lenister and munster there can only be one niq starting per a position

so say pienarr stays at ulster. ulster have the number 9 niq slot? so munster and lenister have to have irish scrumhalves??

could some jargon busting smart poster help me understand this

 

[racingmetrofan]

Should mean Ireland develop some more Props!

 

[big ginger 8]

We are good few props coming through.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Hmm, I may be reading it wrong but I expect the teams to nose dive at first

Leinster having to choose between Nacewa or a functioning scrum
Munster having to choose between a scrum or a midfield
Connacht....yeah
Ulster have to choose between their several foreign stars

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I think it means you can't renew an NIQ's contract after 2013/2014 without specific permission from the IRFU and you can't have a NIQ as back up for a starting player, so Leinster couldn't have Mat Berquist as Sextons bak up. Thats my interpretation anyway, if I'm right you'd expect a lot of long term contracts for Foreign players in the next two years.

 

[Conal]

Hmm, I may be reading it wrong but I expect the teams to nose dive at first

Leinster having to choose between Nacewa or a functioning scrum
Munster having to choose between a scrum or a midfield
Connacht....yeah
Ulster have to choose between their several foreign stars

from what i understand im not sure ulster will suffer that badly
lenister and munster both have irish scrum halves
second rows are pretty much all irish so muller is fine
back row do either of lenister or munster have a foreign flanker? wannenburg should be fine
however payne and afoa might get problems

 

[big ginger 8]

So if Nacewa counts as a wing him or Howlett must go.

 

[Teh Mite]

We are good few props coming through.

Notice "a good few" as opposed to "a few good"!

However, this will decimate all 3 provinces. There may be plenty of youngsters who want the shirts, but to replace the quality will be a big ask.

Pretty arrogant of the IRFU to honestly believe this won't harm the provinces. I bet there's some form of breach in employment law by this also.

 

[Nielsch]

Given the freedom of movement and association for workers within all EU member states, such restrictions surely could only apply to non-EU players instead of non-Irish players. In that case, Simon Danielli would be fine.

 

[Seaton]

Indeed, that is my understanding of it. If they IFRU don't want any hassles that is from the powers that be.

Only one player is an EU national, Si Dazzle

 

[Conal]

Indeed, that is my understanding of it. If they IFRU don't want any hassles that is from the powers that be.

Only one player is an EU national, Si Dazzle

and mr Danielle is on the verge of retirement

 

[Feicarsinn]

From a Leinster point of view, this isn't the worst thing in the world. Now don't get me wrong, it's a stupid, poorly thought out move that will be detrimental to the game in Ireland, but aside from loosehead prop there isn't a position where we don't have at least two Irish players competing for the jersey (that's banking on Strauss declaring himself).


Still, a silly rule.

 

[profitius]

The IRFU had no choice. Look at the props playing in Ireland. The provinces have been woeful at developing their own props.

John Hayes had to continue years past his sell by date because of the situation and hes a gentleman. Mike Ross (the first real tighthead since Hayes came about in around 2001) is the only international tighthead the provinces have produced since Hayes. Thats shambolic. And we've Harlequins to thank for developing Ross. He was let go by Munster.

 

[Peat]

The turnips can go to hell, we'll be keeping Mr Afoa thankyou kindly. We'll happily chuck Mr Danielli so they can have a winger (if Danielli's at Ulster by the end of this season I will be amazed, also Terblanche is an injury cover signing and will be gone swift enough as well).

... There is going to be a serious shitfight over who can keep their foreign props. Serious.

Personally, I consider this a very ill-thought out and premature rule, which would have me gloating if I wasn't stupid enough to have become an Ulster fan.

 

[nickdnz]

From a New Zealand perspective, this is brilliant. Afoa, Howlett, Nacewa, White, Payne, Berquist, Borlase and Mafi may decide on coming back to New Zealand or at the very least, less Kiwi players will be poached by the Irish. I suspect some of those players will be heading to France or England now though.

 

[Seaton]

I dunno, reading the article tells me the stuff about the contract only comes into play for 2013-2014.

I expect the provinces to sign any players they like on big, fat and long contracts before the 'cut-off' date.


My opinion of this move by the IRFU? I think they have got some thick tinted specs on, and think that their teams will be able to perform to the same level without their foreign players.

 

[Peat]

Nick, the three main provinces can still have 15 NIQ players between them. They'll still want the best players they can afford. I would not predict any great fall in the number of players Ireland will be taking from NZ, nor would I expect any player who is particularly useful to the All Black cause to return when this does come into effect. Don't really see how its brilliant for you.

 

[nickdnz]

Nick, the three main provinces can still have 15 NIQ players between them. They'll still want the best players they can afford. I would not predict any great fall in the number of players Ireland will be taking from NZ, nor would I expect any player who is particularly useful to the All Black cause to return when this does come into effect. Don't really see how its brilliant for you.

Well, at the minimum, it guarentees that Nathan White (former captain of Waikato) and John Afoa (Former All Black) will be the only front row players from New Zealand to play for an Irish team (which is where quite a large potion of NZ talent go to play). It would mean that had this system been in place for years, we'd not have lost one of either Doug Howlett, Isa Nacewa or Jared Payne to an Irish team. It also means that we are unlikely to lose a different All Black like Toeava to an Irish team. It's not a huge safe-guard for New Zealand, however it does mean that in a position such as prop or 1st 5/8th (which takes years to develop good ones) we can keep more of them from Irish sides.

I don't think it's a good thing for Ireland however. Seems very silly not to just put a cap of a maximum of five NIQ players avalible to Irish teams, that way teams are able to choose where those players are most needed. It seems very difficult to leave it to clubs to choose which of their highly payed players have to be asked to leave.