Rugby: Sacking McGurn could prompt mass walkout

A KEY member of the Irish coaching staff has indicated he will resign in protest if fitness coach Mike McGurn is sacked following comments he made in a newspaper interview this week.

And it is feared in some quarters that the entire Irish backroom staff could resign en masse in support of their colleague if he is forced from his job in the coming weeks.

McGurn, a former Fermanagh footballer and 5,000m runner for Ireland, stated earlier in the week that many of Ireland’s players were only operating at 60-70% fitness during the World Cup and that he needed to have full control over international players all year round, not just when there were in camp with Ireland.