Union says player welfare to be considered first and foremost

THE continued growth of the Celtic League is crucial to the development of Irish rugby, according to the IRFU, who yesterday outlined their plans for the sport here in Ireland over the next couple of seasons.

While the union would like to see the Celtic League develop still further from its current embryonic stage, it is also wary of enlarging the league, as some believe the Welsh RU may propose doing by suggesting a home and away format.

The IRFU feel a 20/22 game Celtic League is neither viable financially nor from the standpoint of player welfare the foundations on which the IRFU has made its list of proposals.

The union unveiled what it sees as the structure of the coming season up to and including next year's World Cup at a press conference yesterday.

Brought into consideration were an upcoming tour of Samoa, Tonga and Australia, and three friendly internationals next August against Canada, Wales and Scotland before the World Cup squad is announced next September. (Next year's World Cup commences in October.)

However, underlying everything was the need for player welfare to be considered first and foremost.

With that in mind, the IRFU are organising a conference on the issue later this month.

They have already composed a preliminary playing plan for international players for the coming season.

This Saturday's friendly against Romania in Thomond Park is the first of 14 international matches it is envisaged Ireland will play this year.

It is thought that the internationals will participate in six European Cup games (finals excluded), two Celtic League games and three inter pro games.

In next year's World Cup season, it is felt international players will play a game or two less.

Meanwhile, the international 'A' player will play between 28 and 31 games this season, while the provincial player will play between 25 and 29 games.

However, it is with respect to the Celtic League that the IRFU devised most plans.

The association has already outlined to the two other unions a view for the future development of the league, which would constitute the four Irish provinces, three or four Scottish districts and six Welsh games. The net result is 12 or 13 games followed by quarter-finals.

However, there may be some disagreement with the Welsh Union, who are currently undergoing a serious study into where the game is going in their country.

Thus anything proposed yesterday will have to wait until the debate over the game's future in Wales has concluded.

But there are certain guidelines the IRFU would like followed if the Celtic League is to prosper.

They don't want any Celtic League games during the six nations season, revised as a straight seven-week competition. They feel this may result in "overkill" for spectators and cut revenue for each union.

While they see as unfeasible the suggestion of the Celtic League being run on a home and away basis, there is room to develop the league as a 12-team group, rather than having two groups of six.

Under this system, the first eight teams go into the play-offs, with first playing eighth, second seventh, and so on.

They also made clear the need for recognised international players to make themselves available for the Celtic League as much as possible in order that the commercial venture be a success.

But the IRFU remain against midweek games for the league, as they believe they would be detrimental to the competition and to player welfare.