Bargaining Power: The man driving the IRFU’s finances forward

You might think the IRFU’s Padraig Power could afford to ease back into his seat at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday afternoon and enjoy the rugby as Ireland begin their Six Nations title bid against Scotland.

After all, Irish rugby’s governing body has had a good build up to the 2014 championship. Its marquee players have all resisted the lure of mega euro deals on offer with French Top14 clubs, the three home games for this campaign against Scotland, Wales and Italy have long been sold out and this week saw it sign a six-year national teams kit deal with Canterbury, understood to be worth in excess of €20 million.

That would be enough to make the IRFU’s director of commercial and marketing relax a small bit, but that is not the way Power sees it as he contemplates the first Test match of the year.