6 Nations
IRFU Announces Operating Surplus Of €5.9 Million For Year Ended 31st July 2022
The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has reported an operating surplus of €5.9 million for the year ending 31st July 2022 following Friday afternoon’s EGM at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin.
The result was a more positive financial outcome than had been anticipated, coming against a budgeted deficit of €4.9m. By way of comparison, this year’s result compares with combined losses of almost €47m in the preceding two years. The full report is available at the bottom of this article.
IRFU Chief Executive Kevin Potts said:
“Our key message today, is that in relation to the finances of the IRFU, following a torrid period due to the impact of Covid-19: the ship has been stabilised. There is however a cost to this, in terms of dilution of the IRFU’s assets, together with a negative impact on our future cash flow, but we have survived and are now endeavouring to rebuild our financial resources to pre Covid-19 levels.
IRFU CEO Kevin Potts – Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Bryan Keane
“The reasons for the better than anticipated financial out-turn this year are based, in large part, on some key factors:
“Firstly, the earlier than anticipated opening of our grounds to full attendances at Internationals from last November onwards. Secondly, the receipt, in arrears, in December 2021, of €18 million of special assistance from Government for Covid-19 Income losses across Irish Rugby during 2021. Without the receipt of this grant, the Union would have reported an operating deficit of over €9m for the year. I want to acknowledge and thank the Government for their critical support during Covid-19, without which rugby, as we know it on this island, would have struggled to survive.
“In addition, the exceptional item of €44.6 million, which relates to the proceeds received, and receivable in coming years, by the Union in respect of the CVC and Six Nations deal. This significant sum has been received at a most opportune time, given the damage inflicted by Covid-19 on our financial reserves. However, it has to be understood that this comes at a future cost, in terms of a permanent reduction by 14% of the IRFU’s future Six Nations and Autumn Nations Series income.
“The €66 million cash reserves in the bank, is made up of significant future earnings including the pre-sale of 10-year tickets; the monies paid up front for these tickets have to be honoured over the next decade; together with proceeds from the URC and Six Nations CVC transactions. The sale of these assets will result in a permanent reduction in the IRFU’s share of income from these tournaments into the future.”
Ireland’s Natasja Behan – Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Akito Iwamoto
With details of the Women in Rugby Report set to be announced in the coming weeks, the IRFU’s direct investment in the Women’s game is now over €5.5 million per annum, up €2.1 million on what was budgeted in previous years. This includes the introduction of professional contracts for Women’s XVs players for the first time in the Union’s history.
In relation to the Club game, the IRFU directed €6.5 million of the Government grants into clubs during Covid-19, which helped both their survival and the ability to reopen their gates when public health restrictions were lifted. CEO Kevin Potts also confirmed the return to previous levels of investment in the Club and Schools game programmes to almost €12 million in 2022/23.
Potts concluded: “Through their enormous hard work our Men’s National team have reached the number one ranking in the world and in a magnificent Test match last weekend defeated the World Champions, South Africa, our male Under-20 side are the Grand Slam champions, our Men’s 7s team recently took a bronze medal in the Rugby World Cup, and the last seasons Energia All-Ireland League Men’s and Women’s finals were outstanding advertisements for our club game. These successes highlight that there is much to be positive about in Irish Rugby at this time, but we continue to recognise the enormous body of work, across a range of challenges, still to be tackled.
“Though the IRFU is forecasting deficits for the next three years, it is the IRFU’s firm intention that Irish Rugby will continue to operate on a sustainable basis, only spending funds that it either has or can predict with relative certainty. This makes for challenging times, but I do believe Irish Rugby will rise to these challenges.”
IRFU Annual Report
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) is delighted to announce the return of the ‘A’ Interprovincial Men’s Championship which will kick off next month.
The times and dates of the opening three rounds of the Championship before Christmas have been confirmed, with a similar points-scoring system as used in the URC. A Championship winner will be declared after the final round of matches in May and the IRFU will be commissioning a legacy trophy to mark the 150th anniversary celebrations.
Welcoming the news, IRFU Performance Director David Humphreys commented:
“We’re delighted to kick-start the Men’s ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship which will provide a host of players with a further means of developing in a meaningful competition. With the success of the Emerging Ireland Tours, coupled with the return of an ‘A’ international against England next year, it is vital that we continue to provide players at provincial and Club levels with opportunities to impress outside of the traditional URC and EPCR fixture windows.
“Discussions have been ongoing for some time to provide players with meaningful games and all four provinces are unanimously supportive of this competition. It is also great to see provinces taking matches around their local Clubs.
“It is anticipated that as the competition progresses over the coming seasons these fixtures won’t clash with Energia All-Ireland League fixtures for the most part, thus potentially also offering players from the Club game with an opportunity to impress.
“This competition will form another important part of the representative pathway from Energia AIL to URC levels for Academy players upwards over the coming seasons.”
The dates for the post-Christmas fixtures will be confirmed in due course. Ticket details will be confirmed via the respective provinces.
IRFU 150 Interprovincial ‘A’ Championship Fixtures:
Saturday, 16th November:
Connacht Eagles v Leinster ‘A’ (Creggs RFC, 1pm)
Friday, 22nd November:
Ulster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles (Ballymacaran Park, 3pm), Leinster ‘A’ v Munster ‘A’ (Lakelands, 5pm)
Friday, 29th November:
Munster ‘A’ v Ulster ‘A’ (New Ormond Park, 3pm)
Friday, 20th December:
Ulster ‘A’ v Munster ‘A’ (tbc, 3pm)
Saturday, 21st December:
Leinster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles (Ollie Campbell Park, 2pm)
Weekend of 28/29 December:
Connacht Eagles v Ulster ‘A’ (tbc), Munster ‘A’ v Leinster ‘A’ (tbc)
Weekend of 9/10 May:
Connacht Eagles v Munster ‘A’ (tbc), Leinster ‘A’ v Ulster ‘A’ (tbc)
Weekend of 16/17 May:
Munster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles (tbc), Ulster ‘A’ v Leinster ‘A’ (tbc)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
The Emerging Ireland team to face the Cheetahs in the final game of the three-match series in Bloemfontein on Wednesday evening (kick off 6pm Irish time, 7pm local time) has been named.
Leinster’s James Culhane will lead the team and he forms a new back-row alongside Harry Sheridan and Sean Edogbo, who makes his first start of the tour having come on as a replacement in the 29-24 win over Western Force on Sunday afternoon. Former Ireland Under-20 captain Evan O’Connell locks down with Darragh Murray, who featured in the opening 36-24 victory over the Pumas, with Alex Usanov named in the front row alongside hooker Stephen Smyth and Jack Aungier.
Darragh Murray of Emerging Ireland scores his sides second try – Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Steve Haag Sports/Darren Stewart
In the backline, Sam Prendergast starts his third game of the tour at out-half and he will be partnered by Cormac Foley, who featured as a second half replacements against the Australian Super Rugby side last time out. Connacht’s Hugh Gavin forms a midfield partnership with Hugh Cooney, with Ulster’s Zac Ward named in an exciting back tree alongside the returning Ben O’Connor at full-back and Andrew Osborne who moves to the right wing.
Munster loosehead prop George Hadden, who was called up to the squad last weekend, is set to make his first appearance after being named on the bench alongside Conor O’Tighearnaigh and Alex Soroka who started Sunday’s win. Hadden’s provincial team-mate Danny Sheahan provides cover once more at hooker, while Scott Wilson and Charlie Tector are also named on the bench for the Toyota Stadium clash alongside out-half Jack Murphy.
Looking ahead to the game, Emerging Ireland Head Coach Simon Easterby said: “When we set out at the beginning of our pre-camp in Dublin, we knew about the challenge of facing three sides in a week and we knew that every player in the group would have the opportunity to play his part. To a man each player has given his all so far and we are aiming to finish off the series with another positive performance on Wednesday.
The Cheetahs are a fiercely proud and strong side and it should be a lively game with a vocal home support behind them. It has been a fruitful past few weeks to date and we have learned a lot. While our performances haven’t been perfect, the players have embraced the challenge and played some brilliant rugby at times. The action has come thick and fast and we know that we have to be clinical in our execution. We will need to go up another level on Wednesday to get the performance we want and hopefully finish the tour on a high.”
Wednesday’s game will be broadcast once more on IrishRugby+ – click here.
Emerging Ireland (v The Cheetahs, Wednesday, October 9, 7pm local time, 6pm Irish time)
15: Ben O’Connor (UCC RFC/Munster)
14: Andrew Osborne (Naas RFC/Leinster)
13: Hugh Cooney (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
12: Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
11: Zac Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster/Ireland Sevens)
10: Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
9: Cormac Foley (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
1: Alex Usanov (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
2: Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
3: Jack Aungier (Clontarf FC/Connacht)
4: Evan O’Connell (Young Munster RFC/Munster)
5: Darragh Murray (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)
6: Harry Sheridan (Dublin University FC/Ulster)
7: Sean Edogbo (UCC RFC/Munster)
8: James Culhane (UCD RFC/Leinster) (captain)
Replacements:
16: Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution FC/Munster)
17: George Hadden (Garryowen FC/Munster)
18: Scott Wilson (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
19: Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster)
20: Alex Soroka (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
21: Matthew Devine (Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
22: Jack Murphy (Clontarf FC/Ulster)
23: Charlie Tector (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Following Emerging Ireland’s 29-24 victory over Western Force in Bloemfontein on Sunday three players, Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Sean O’Brien (Munster) and Jude Postlethwaite (Ulster) will return to their provinces.
The trio will leave South Africa on Monday afternoon and will be available for selection for their respective URC fixtures this weekend.
The squad will visit Heidedal Township this afternoon and will conclude the three-match series on Wednesday evening against The Cheetahs (kick off 7pm local, 6pm Irish time). That match will be live on irishrugby+
Watch the full match back here on irishrugby+
Check out the highlights from the win against Western Force below.
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
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