Browne plays down player diktat on contracts

The IRFU’s chief executive has suggested the union will not seek to dictate which provinces its centrally contracted players should play for.

Philip Browne’s comments yesterday will be welcomed in Connacht, given the suggestions surrounding a switch to Leinster for Robbie Henshaw, as they, differ greatly from those of IRFU president Pat Fitzgerald last week.

Fitzgerald intimated in an interview on radio that players under contract with the union would have to switch clubs if told to do so by the national senior coach. Browne was far more circumspect without ever delivering a straight ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

The chief executive spoke about the need to stimulate greater movement of personnel amongst the provinces in order to guarantee game time, but also of the importance of consultation between provinces, players and the union.

“There is absolutely no point in going down the road of imposing decisions on people, on organisations,” said Browne. “We have to decide what is in the best interests of the game in Ireland and the individual player.

“That requires discussions and what is in the best interests of the provinces and the national team in particular. We have four teams from which we have to effectively staff the national team. So all of these things are being discussed.

“There are no decisions taken about anything, other than what we do want to see is greater movement between the provinces on the basis that if players are to develop, they have to have game time.”

Browne was speaking at the announcement of a €7.4m Irish Sports Council investment in grassroots sports for the ‘Big Three’ bodies with the GAA receiving €2.4m, €2.7m going to the FAI and €2.36m for the IRFU.

Money has been a hot topic lately, all told, what with Browne expounding publicly for the first time about the recent conclusion to the interminable talks over the future of the European club tournaments.

Some of the chief proponents of change across the Irish Sea have suggested that turnover could more than double now to a figure of £100m (€121.5m) within five years, and Browne did little to dampen such talk.

The recent €73m TV deal between the Top 14 and Canal+ in France seems to have raised everyone’s expectations for the game across the continent. “If that’s the way things are moving, why not?” said Browne.

The Pro12 is guaranteed a minimum income under the new accord but, with private investors bankrolling clubs in England and France, it was put to Browne if the union would allow greater scope for sugar daddies to stump up for the provinces.

“We’re constantly looking at our business model because we have to. You can imagine the last six, nine, 12 months, our business model has been under pressure and so we have to continue to look at it.

“We won’t sacrifice control of the game in this country because we can’t afford to. What we will want is to ensure we control our national players for the benefit of the national team.

“So, from that point of view, yes we have to see if there are other ways that we can generate revenues, but not to the extent of losing control of our players and to the disadvantage of our national team.”