Gerry ‘Ginger’ McLoughlin says Munster must axe academy

Former Shannon, Munster and Ireland prop Gerry ‘Ginger’ McLoughlin believes Munster must axe its academy to finance a return to European glory days for the province.

Leinster apart, McLoughlin fears the Irish provincial game may soon prove unsustainable in an environment where revenue is linked so closely to success.

“You’ve got to look at how many players Munster have in the academy and how much it is costing.

“It’s a commercial world. It’s a business, and all of a sudden the whole thing can start to slide and there’s nothing you can do about it. How many people are employed by Munster? How can you keep that going when everyone demands success. But you have to pay for success.”

McLoughlin also believes many young players are given false hope of a professional career by the academy system and feels most youngsters would progress more quickly if left to develop with their clubs.

"Forget about the academies. You’re giving guys expectations and all of a sudden they have no balance in their lives from a very young age. They don’t know where they are going. They’re not guaranteed anything. They could be dismissed. I just think it’s unfair."