Connacht picture will be clearer in the autumn

THE future of Connacht rugby will remain under the microscope until the findings of an independent review are made known in early autumn, the Irish Rugby Football Union AGM has revealed.

IRFU chief executive Philip Browne admitted last night that a significantly greater degree of commercialisation was needed to head off future problems. “At the end of the day we want to improve the situation there; the review lies with Connacht and the management committee at the moment,” he said.

Connacht players are currently on unusually short single-year contracts and Browne revealed that the traditional time for re-negotiations in the provinces was following the autumn internationals.