Fury over club rugby status quo

TWO of the country’s leading rugby coaches have roundly condemned the Irish Rugby Football Union following the decision to maintain a 16-team first division in the AIB League.

Garryowen’s All-Ireland league winning coach Paul Cunningham accused the IRFU of a “cop out”, a view endorsed by Brian Walsh, coach of Cork Constitution who lost the league decider in agonising circumstances a week ago.

Cunningham believes that Irish rugby is on the road to nowhere unless the governing body do a quick about-turn and allow club rugby to develop and prosper.