IRFU to take on French spending

“At professional game level it allows us to start putting a little bit more money into the academy system and the elite player pool.”

Irish rugby bosses will hand the four provinces an extra €3.2m a year to combat the threat of France’s big-spending superpowers.

Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) chief executive Philip Browne admitted the four provinces are “all struggling” to keep pace with their French counterparts.