Munster - next headache for the IRFU?

[MACKTHEKNIFE]

Having read this thread I might as well just give up my ticket to my Ulster sister in Law and let her enjoy Ulsters Coronation on Easter Sunday in Limerick.

[MACKTHEKNIFE]

Well we always believe we're going to lose so I guess you've a 50% chance of getting it right.

[Shan]

Put em up Winston

Always loved that speech and often times I have annoyed people by performing it, including trying to do Churchill's voice with varying degrees of failure.


As a young teenager I used to listen to Iron Maiden and I remember the intro to the song "Aces High" was this speech. I guess that is where I heard it first and it just struck me then as quite powerful.

[darkside lightside]

in my day job I deal with distressed companies,

Yes, but were they distressed before you started dealing with them

[darkside lightside]

To the people accusing me of getting ahead of myself, and pointing to results at the weekend etc - I'm looking at the risk of Munster becoming another IRFU problem child over the next 2-3 years, not in the course of the next 2-3 weeks or months... As I said, their results this year have been pretty impressive once again, they're odds-on to beat us and make the semis of the HEC (again..) and would in all likelihood be second in the Pro12 table had the Aironi match not been postponed.

The concern would be that they're starting to run short of a bob or two, just when they probably need it most - to invest in bringing the academy up to speed, and in good quality NIQs, in order to bridge the gap between the current squad and the post-ROG & POC squad... Some of this is bad luck - everyone's attendances are down this year, due to the bad times - but some of it is self-inflicted - unecessarily padded cost base, neglect of academy for much of the last decade etc. The IRFU seems to be helping out as it can, cutting them slack on their repayments, awarding questionable central contracts to the likes of DOC and Leamy etc.

There are some obvious 'self-help' steps that Munster branch can take - like transferring all operations to Limerick, and shutting, marketing and disposing of all Cork facilities; and dramatically slimming down their playing squad to get rid of the dead wood they're carrying for the AIL teams.

[mikerob]

ROG has 4+1 and POC has 3+1 appearances for Munster in this year's Pro12 (out of 14 games so far)

Even minus ROG and POC, Munster seem to be there or thereabouts as a top 4 Pro12 team.

[stickinout]

MUnster the next headache? What was the IRFU's last headache? Us maybe? There's too much of the dog in Munster to go in to free fall the way we did with quite a few big players jumping ship a few years back.... Remember if it's all about IQ players in the future, their AIL teams are playing at a higher level of competition to us so greater competition will result in more player options i believe. As others have mentioned, the likes of o'mahony and Zebo have slotted in like they were always there. The leadership conundrum is going to be a problem for them but someone will step forward or perhaps they'll buy it in like us. What i'd like to know is where have all the Ulster born forwards gone? Doesn't seem to be many coming through over the last few years.... that's what is worrying me.

[Rooster]

More problems in Ulster than Munster I would have thought, look where they are in the league.

[darkside lightside]

MUnster the next headache? What was the IRFU's last headache? Us maybe?

We're not the IRFU's last headache - we are an ongoing headache...

Thus the question posed by the thread. Here are the IRFU's current headaches:

1) Irish national team in continuous decline for over 2 years - they're hoping like mad that we'll be able to pull off an unlikely victory against France, which, like the Australia result in the RWC, basically save DK's job; if we slip up against one of Scotland or Italy, they'll basically have to act straight away...

2) Ulster - they had to do a bit of a clear-up job after the fat controller left by all accounts - they'll be hoping like mad that the turnaround job works out, and that we can stand on our own two feet, on and off the pitch..

3) Connacht - they still don't have a focking clue what they want to do with Connacht

4) Their own governance - they're sailing pretty close to the wind in terms of perception of their performance; after years of self-back-slapping for 'getting it right' at provincial level, and enjoying elevated win ratios (even if actual trophies were thin on the ground) the Aviva November series fiasco burnt a lot of goodwill among supporters and commentators, and media articales querying the IRFU's performance are now pretty commonplace - Thornley's recent series of hatchet jobs and Toland's piece this week being examples.

The last thing they need is Munster running short of dough and having a bit of a dive in form...

[MACKTHEKNIFE]

So the IRFU owes the IRFU money big deal. From what I can gather reading mainly in the Munster papers ( Examiner, Evening Echo, Limerick Leader) Thomond Park is holding its own financially and that Thomond Park LTD were recently providing consultation to the FFR with regard to the rebuilding of rugby stadia in France.
Where this speculation on here about alleged financial difficulties is somewhat bemusing.

http://www.limerickleader.ie/lifestyle/ ... _1_3291036

[dropkick]

Munster should be stronger next season. In the long term it looks like developing centers and props is still a concern. In most other positions things look fine. The squad is too big if anything so a clearout at the end of the season could be on the cards.

I don't know anything about the finances but the Thomond park loan must be close to being paid off by now I presume. They'll then start developing Musgrave in Cork I'd say so I don't think Munster will be awash with money for a while.

[Rooster]

I don't know anything about the finances but the Thomond park loan must be close to being paid off by now I presume.

Are the repayments not behind schedule ?

[darkside lightside]

So the IRFU owes the IRFU money big deal. From what I can gather reading mainly in the Munster papers ( Examiner, Evening Echo, Limerick Leader) Thomond Park is holding its own financially and that Thomond Park LTD were recently providing consultation to the FFR with regard to the rebuilding of rugby stadia in France.
Where this speculation on here about alleged financial difficulties is somewhat bemusing.

http://www.limerickleader.ie/lifestyle/ ... _1_3291036

and in other news, the Guardian still doesn't like budget cuts, and the Mail still doesn't like immigrants...

[dropkick]

I don't know anything about the finances but the Thomond park loan must be close to being paid off by now I presume.

Are the repayments not behind schedule ?

I think they were due to be paid off already but I'm not too sure. I do know they asked for more repayment time a few years back which the IRFU agreed to. I'm also not sure about the stadium ownership. I think the IRFU own half of it.

[mikerob]

The loan was scheduled to be paid off by 2017 with target repayments for each year. The target for 2011 wasn't met but the IRFU annual report doesn't say by how much.