How will Ulster rugby clubs respond to the recommendations made by the review committee into club competitions in Ulster.
The IRFU are the Governing Body with reponsibility for the All Ireland League and the administration of club rugby in Ireland through its representative branches in Ulster, Leinster, Munster and Connacht. The AIL was established 25 years ago in Ireland to increase competitive club competition in Ireland. With its introduction the provincial branches have become increasingly peripheral in their influence over the AIL clubs.
Provincial competitions have been relegated down the priorities of these clubs as they focus all their efforts in being competitive in the AIL. Due to the physical nature of the AIL, players are being subjected to increasing physical and mental demands on their bodies that are demanding more rest time. Witness the player management protocols initiated by the IRFU to protect the welfare of our leading professional players in Ireland. The attritional and ever increasing injury lists are well documented in the public arena through daily and weekly bulletins. If these levels of injuries are being inflicted in the professional game what are the statistics for the club game in Ireland. Moreover the career of a rugby player is being curtailed due to the demands being placed on their time and commitment to playing rugby and the demands on family life, employment and their social time. The introduction of five ten team leagues in 2015/16 – with teams playing home and away will increase the demands on players time.
Players in the AIL are expected to put in gym time along with two/three nights club training as well as giving up weekends to travel hundreds of miles all over Ireland to play 80 minutes of rugby with no financial rewards for this commitment to their sport. Is it not surprising that the age profile of AIL players is getting younger due to the demands placed on these amateur players. In Ulster, players are expected to play 30+ fixtures per season whilst their counterparts in Leinster, Munster and Connacht play 20+ games. Would this explain why the clubs in Ulster are struggling to compete in the AIL competitions such as the AIL leagues, All Ireland Bateman Cup and the AIL Junior Cup. In the Southern provinces they have knockout cup competitions that provide their AIL clubs with competitive games prior to and during the AIL programme. Sadly in Ulster we witness the relentless fixture programme the AIL clubs from Ulster are subjected to during the four week break in October after the first block of AIL matches this season in fulfilling Ulster Championship league and First Trust Senior Cup matches. Where is the rest time our players should be experiencing before the AIL resumes on the 1st November. The players have no say in the scheduling of these demanding fixture schedules in Ulster.
It is quite clear the Qualifying clubs in Ulster want to protect their league and Cup competitions despite the top clubs playing 30+ matches per season. Is it not time to reduce the number of teams down to eight instead of ten in Qualifying One and Two. This would create a level playing field where our top Qualifying clubs are playing the same number of fixtures as the Junior teams in Leinster and Munster. The issue of where we play the AIL second xv teams has been a ‘thorny’ subject in Ulster rugby that has never been satisfactorily resolved by the AIL and Qualifying clubs. Recommendations from the review committee include intergrating these teams into the Qualifying and Junior leagues for the season 2015/16. It is worth noting that all the second xv teams have been included in a second xv league this season that guarantees the teams 20 competitive matches. Twenty two fixtures have been completed by the 18th October with only two clubs failing to fulfil their fixtures away to City of Derry. Having all the second xv’s in one league has facilitated a number of clubs to play games mid week prior to a Sat 1st xv match. This provides bench replacements from the AIL teams with valuable game time. The recommendations to include the second xv’s in Qualifying and Junior leagues is not to the benefit of the AIL clubs. Placing six of the second xv’s in two Conference leagues is not the way forward for the AIL clubs. Imposing sanctions and financial penalties will not prevent mis matches due to injuries and unavailabilities in these proposed leagues. Will all the AIL second xv’s still be able to compete in the Junior, Towns and McCrea Cups in Ulster. Would it not be better if the Ulster Branch reviewed the current second xv league at the end of this season. Why change it if the league has fulfilled the wishes of the AIL clubs.
Another area that needs to be revisited is subsitutes in Ulster club rugby. They should be allowed in all Ulster club league and Cup competitions. Why should AIL second xv teams be denied selecting substitutes for their matches. The physical demands and collisions in rugby are no different whether you are playing Qualifying or second xv rugby. Are we going to allow substitutes for Qualifying matches that double as conference league matches and deny the AIL second xv’s playing in the same league the opportunity to have substitutes. Don’t see the logic!!! Another proposal is to consider allowing two teams from the same club to compete in the same league. Such a proposal has the potential to manipulate the outcome of a league!! We will always have teams within clubs who dominate league and Cup competitions, such is the strength in depth of the playing resources of some Ulster clubs.
Is there not room for AIL clubs to develop closer links with neighbouring Qualifying clubs to help in the development of young players. Can the Qualifying clubs in partnership with AIL clubs not help in developing players who can play AIL rugby. Too many young players are being exposed to Adult rugby when they have not developed physically and mentally to cope with the rigours of AIL rugby. If the clubs in Leinster, Munster and Connacht can play Under 20 matches why is that pathway not available in Ulster to equivalent players!!! It was interesting to read the views of Ulster Academy manager, Kieran Campbell after the Ravens opening two defeats in the British & Irish Cup. He was pointing out that his young players were struggling to meet the demands of rugby at this level. There has to be a pathway developed in Ulster rugby in partnership with the AIL and Qualifying clubs to create the right playing conditions for young players to fulfil their ambitions. It was interesting to note that Stewart McCloskey, Rhuardi Murphy and Alan O’Connor played All Ireland league rugby the week before they were selected for Ulster against Edinburgh in the recent Pro 12 win. Infact several Ulster players have come through AIL club rugby to play professional rugby for Ulster. It is clear that the Ulster Championship league is surplus to the requirements of the AIL clubs in Ulster. Is it not time Qualifying league One was renamed the Ulster Championship league with the Stevenson Shield being presented to the league winners. The league has no sponsor and this may be an opportunity to increase the profile of the league and secure a new sponsor. Qualifying two, three and four clubs should also consider having a maximum of eight teams. In recent seasons we have noticed that all the AIL and Qualifying One/Two clubs are playing two/three friendlies before commencing their league programmes. This is a necessary prerequisite before these clubs play their opening league fixtures. AIL clubs in Ulster along with the Ulster Branch should look at the competitions hosted for AIL clubs in Leinster, Munster and Connacht to see if lessons can be learned to reduce the demanding fixture schedules in Ulster. As I have said, players should not be used as a commodity to generate revenue for clubs. Are the right decisions being made by the Ulster Branch on behalf of the clubs in Ulster to reduce the playing demands on our players.
By George Millar.
