Playing England and France behind closed doors cost IRFU €16m, AGM hears

Ireland game against England and France at the Aviva Stadium were played behind closed doors

The Annual Council Meeting of the Irish Rugby Football Union has been told that the ongoing impact of Covid-19 means the governing body is still at significant financial risk and rugby is “far from out of the woods”.

There was no full financial update with the IRFU moving the end of its financial year to July 31 in line with the new global season and audited accounts set to issued in November. Yet delegates at the online AGM on Thursday heard there had been a 47% reduction in turnover for the six months to the end of June 2021, compared to the first half of 2019 and chief executive Philip Browne told the IRFU website: “Our two largest income-generating home games every two years against England and France were held behind closed doors with a loss of match income of over €16m. These are the games that keep Irish Rugby going.”