Western promise as IRFU unveil plan

THE FUTURE of Connacht as an important cog in the Irish provincial rugby wheel has been guaranteed and coach Eric Elwood, his players and management colleagues will be operating off at least a two-year contract from now on.

These were the vital messages emanating from the release yesterday of the IRFU’s plan for the future of the game in the western province. No longer will Connacht supporters wonder if their team has a future in the Union’s scheme of things while the controversial 12-month contracts currently in place are being ditched, much to the delight of Elwood and the newly appointed Professional Game Board (PGB).

The 12-month deal under which they have been operating this season was widely seen as a serious deterrent to talented young players considering the idea of following in the footsteps of Irish hooker Sean Cronin and moving to Connacht.