David Humphreys pledges to level playing field between Leinster and other provinces

Humphreys wants Connacht, Munster and Ulster to find their own solutions to their shortcomings

NOT THE SOLUTION: IRFU performance director David Humphreys Connacht, Munster and Ulster cannot rely on the signing of Leinster players to solve their problem. Pic: Seb Daly, Sportsfile

David Humphreys has pledged to level the playing field for Ireland’s four provinces but the IRFU Performance Director will not sacrifice a successful Leinster set-up for the sake of that desired equality.

Leinster’s success in recent years in reaching three successive Champions Cup finals and its ability to recruit elite overseas players such as RG Snyman, Jordie Barrett and Rabah Slimani while still providing the lion’s share of players to the Ireland squad has led to accusations, mostly via social media, from supporters of other provinces of a bias against them in favour of the Boys in Blue.

Humphreys, who succeeded David Nucifora last spring as the person overseeing all Irish high performance rugby, including 23 different national teams, does not disagree that Leinster are the dominant force but the former Ulster and Ireland fly-half wants Connacht, Munster and Ulster to find their own solutions to their shortcomings rather than bow to the idea that Leo Cullen’s squad should be in some way brought down to the level of the other three.

The performance director wants all four provinces to be competing regularly in the Champions Cup and national squads to be populated more equitably than the current situation where 23 Leinster players featured in Ireland’s initial Six Nations squad named earlier this month while he also pointed out of the 100 underaged players named across the national U18/19/20 squads recently, 50 were from Leinster, 23 from Ulster, 17 from Munster, seven from Connacht and three Irish qualified (IQ).

“Fifty per cent from one province is too much,” Humphreys said. “Our system isn't working properly but again it's a credit to Leinster so what we've got to try and do is reduce that reliance on Leinster across all our squads.

“That's how we're going to measure what success looks like in terms of closing that gap while also challenging Leinster to continue doing what they do. In terms of performance, the challenge is that you can't ask all four provinces to set a goal of winning the URC. They might internally but from our point of view, you're going to have three that then fail. 

"So it's more about making sure our provinces are competitive, Champions Cup rugby, and there's just so many elements in the Irish system that come with how we define success which is retaining players, giving them opportunities, the player management system, having that level of durability for our players who are fit for key parts of the season."

Humphreys said 50% of underage squad players coming from Leinster is "too much". Pic: Brendan Moran, Sportsfile

He added: “At this moment in time, Leinster have been unbelievably successful. Everyone around the world of rugby is looking to what Leinster are doing in their system to produce the players and the success they've had. For me, it's about making sure that Leinster remain where they are.

“We want Leinster winning the Champions Cup, we want Leinster in finals of the URC, as we want all the provinces, but at this minute time, that's the level they're competing at. So it's much more a case of maintaining Leinster where they are, but making sure the support that goes to the other provinces allows them to continue their progression and move.

“Munster have been in URC terms very competitive for the last couple of years, it’s just making sure that I believe long-term Ireland success is very much supported by all of our provinces being really competitive.

“The big message is that Leinster are where they are, they have a lot of unique parts to what makes Leinster successful, capital city and everything that comes with that.

“So rather than compare the other provinces and say, Leinster have got this, the other provinces haven't got that, it's what’s right for each of those provinces and that's very much going to have to be driven by them. 

"They're the ones on the ground. They're the ones that are working in the schools and the clubs and at the grassroots, so it's about trying to put a longer term… as part of our strategic plan talk we’ve talked about winning teams. 

"Yes, of course, it's Ireland teams but it's also about getting our provinces back and what's right for one isn't necessary right for all four. But you're absolutely right, we have to ensure the provinces close the gap to where the current difference with Leinster is.” 

Munster are set to announce the signings of Leinster front-rowers Michael Milne, a loosehead prop, and hooker Lee Barron for next season with Leicester’s England-capped but Irish-qualified centre Dan Kelly also on the way this summer yet Humphreys explained that sending Leinster players to other provinces against their wishes was not the solution. And when asked whether he wanted to see more Leinster players joining other provinces he once again placed the onus on the other three organisations to find their own answers.

"Rather than talk about Leinster players, let's talk about the concept. In a high performance system, you want your best players playing as often as you can. No question, that will help their development and the competitiveness of the other provinces, but it's never simply a case of 'this player will move and we move him'.

"We will only move players who want to move and, again, the message back last summer was that when you don't move, players are sending a very clear message around where their ambitions lie.

"Some players will, when they stay, accelerate their development. A bit of luck, bit of injury, form.

"What we can't do... none of our other provinces can rely on that being the solution to some of their problems.

"The challenge with them is to make sure that we will continue to work with them to develop their pathways, to give other players opportunities to come through to allow them to develop the depth to be competitive across the length of a season."