IRFU announces restructuring of All-Ireland League

Eoin

From breakingnews.ie

The IRFU today announced a restructuring of the All Ireland League to be implemented for the start of the 2011/12 season.

Among the changes are an increase in the number of senior clubs from 48 to 52, the introduction of rolling substitutions on a trial basis, and further regulations on the use of fully contracted players by league teams.

The IRFU said the moves follow a consultation process that was begun in October 2009 with relevant stakeholders including provincial branches, clubs, the All Ireland Senior Rugby Clubs Association as well as coaches, players and referees and volunteers.

The new All Ireland structure will include:

- A Division One consisting of two sections of 10 teams each playing home and away (known as 1A & 1B). Promotion and relegation between 1A and 1B would be one automatic and one decided by play-off.

- A Division Two consisting of two sections (to be referred to as 2A & 2B) of 16 teams each playing 15 games. Promotion and relegation between 2A and 2B would be two automatic and one by play-off.

- Promotion and relegation between Division 1B and 2A would be automatic two up and two down.

The present qualifying league structure (provincial junior league winner's round robin competition) would be maintained, including the promotion and relegation system to 2B.

- The team which finishes top of their respective division will be deemed to be the divisional league champions, and the winners of Division 1A will be deemed the All Ireland League Champions.

The IRFU also said that the number of senior clubs has been increased by four from 48 to 52, with provincial champions from next season automatically gaining senior club status.

It also said there would be an increased emphasis on playing Friday night games so as not to clash with provincial ties.

New regulations for contracted players participating in the league were also announced, with fully contracted players to be limited to playing in Division 1 only (two only per squad per match).

Fully contracted foreign players cannot play in the league, while contracted development and academy players can play in all divisions without any restrictions.

"The importance of the All Ireland League in the fabric of Irish Rugby cannot be underestimated and in these changing times, the new structures represent the need for progress of club rugby in Ireland," IRFU President John Callaghan said.

"I congratulate all of those involved and look forward to the increased competition that these new structures promise to bring."

Read more: http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/irfu-announces-restructuring-of-all-ireland-league-458931.html#ixzz0orCTe5k2

bamboozle

interesting decision,

Fully contracted players can only play in division 1 and only 2 per match day squad.

wonder how Cork Con will circumvent this rule!! in playing Manning in the semi final and final this year they were clearly in breach of the rules that players need to have started 3 league games to qualify to play in play-offs.

Cork Con, Dolphin and Shannon all who rely heavily on contracted players will suffer under these rule changes

On the plus sides there have been plenty of matches in the AIL 1A this season where teams have lost games where they were unable to get their contracted players released.

Gracelessly Tom

Certainly makes it interesting alright! As you say Bamboozle, teams who rely heavily on contracted players will suffer, might do away with the reliance on the province to release players. Munster branch have been very good at this, Lenister branch much less so. Obviously that boils down to the coaches attitudes toward the AIL but at least this ruling takes some of that element away.

Am I right in my reading of the article, the team on top after the 18 games is champions? No play offs?

Gracelessly Tom

Gracelessly Tom wrote: »

Am I right in my reading of the article, the team on top after the 18 games is champions? No play offs?

Have just read on IRFU.ie that consideration will be given to playoffs in Div 1A in the future.

Looks like top after regular season wins it for the first year or two anyway.

Risteard

Interesting that the Junior League winners next season will automatically be promoted. Could prove difficult for some Junior Clubs if they go up but can't afford to play in the AIL.

Gracelessly Tom

What does everyone think of the rolling subs rule? I know it's been at Junior level for a season or two but not sure of the purpose at AIL level.

Gracelessly Tom

Risteard wrote: »

Interesting that the Junior League winners next season will automatically be promoted. Could prove difficult for some Junior Clubs if they go up but can't afford to play in the AIL.

I'd presume the IRFU will have to help them out financially. Travel expenses alone would be considerable when transporting a team all over the country for a season.

Eoin

Risteard wrote: »

Interesting that the Junior League winners next season will automatically be promoted. Could prove difficult for some Junior Clubs if they go up but can't afford to play in the AIL.

I think that's just between the divisions - it says the following here:

The present qualifying league structure (provincial junior league winner's round robin competition) would be maintained, including the promotion and relegation system to 2B.

Either way, I couldn't imagine a junior club not wanting to be promoted, despite the financial burden. It's been the main aim of our club ever since we made division 1 of the Leinster junior league.

bamboozle

it will be interesting to see how they decide on the 10 teams for 1a in the first season, will it be the 8 who'll be there next season with no relegation and top 2 in division 1b, or will it be 2 relegated from 1A with 4 promoted.

i'd imagine they'd have to have some form of relegation from 1a next season to make the league competitive..

Risteard

eoin wrote: »

I think that's just between the divisions - it says the following here:



Either way, I couldn't imagine a junior club not wanting to be promoted, despite the financial burden. It's been the main aim of our club ever since we made division 1 of the Leinster junior league.

I think the automatic qualification is just to bump up the numbers, after which the promotion will go back to normal.

The IRFU also said that the number of senior clubs has been increased by four from 48 to 52, with provincial champions from next season automatically gaining senior club status.

Gracelessly Tom

bamboozle wrote: »

it will be interesting to see how they decide on the 10 teams for 1a in the first season, will it be the 8 who'll be there next season with no relegation and top 2 in division 1b, or will it be 2 relegated from 1A with 4 promoted.

i'd imagine they'd have to have some form of relegation from 1a next season to make the league competitive..

Apparently it'll be two up automatically and the bottom team in 1A will play off against 3rd in 1B.

[Jackass]

I think this draws a good line in the sand to make AIL feeder only to the provinces, and once a player is gone (fully contracted to the province), he's gone. BUT with no restrictions on development and academy contracted players, it encourages playing lots of the youngest and most promising players in the country, helping development.

I think the AIL went so stagnent over the years that something has to be done, I think the shake up of rules and structure of divisions definitley helps, as well as rescheduling fixture times.

Admitiedly I've neglected AIL for a long time now, but hope people can get back into it and the league can grow more sucsessful.

Risteard

Just saw the rolling subs. Not sure I like that tbh.

But the ban on fully contracted foreign players and limiting the number of fully contracted players is good. Makes sure that teams are generally kept the same throughout so you don't get to a situation where a team would pack their team full of players near the end if it's possible.

profitius

Some good rules there.

bamboozle wrote: »

Cork Con, Dolphin and Shannon all who rely heavily on contracted players will suffer under these rule changes

Not too much. Deasy, Zebo, POM, Nagle, Archer, Brian Hayes are only on academy or development contracts. Duncan Williams and Gleeson are on full contracts and Manning is leaving according to the rumours.

theKramer

Risteard wrote: »

But the ban on fully contracted foreign players and limiting the number of fully contracted players is good. Makes sure that teams are generally kept the same throughout so you don't get to a situation where a team would pack their team full of players near the end if it's possible.

It looks like they really put some thought into it. Should really put an organised conveyor belt all the way from AIL >> Provincial A >> Full Provincial >> International.

It should make the AIL a lot more interesting as well. It might reduce the quality slightly, but there are a lot more positives than negatives imho.

bamboozle

Risteard wrote: »

Just saw the rolling subs. Not sure I like that tbh.

But the ban on fully contracted foreign players and limiting the number of fully contracted players is good. Makes sure that teams are generally kept the same throughout so you don't get to a situation where a team would pack their team full of players near the end if it's possible.

Dolphin at times this season have had Nick Williams & Julian Brugnaut starting, along with Dave Ryan & James Coughlan in their pack, unsprisingly enough spending 80 minutes in scrums playing for penaltys and penalty trys

Khan77

i think the expansion of the top two leagues is a good idea and suppose most of the contracted and academy players would gravitate towards these teams. TBH 32 teams below this level competing on an all ireland basis is a bit too much. I think they should have split into division two north and division two south. With the advent of prefessional provincial teams, British Irish Cup for provincial A-sides the AIL has realistically a smaller dimension to play in development of players and expanding this league is the wrong way to go IMO. My junior club has been historically a feeder for the local senior club and the great majority play for about two years before knocking it on the head citing time taken for travel as the biggest turnoff. Connemara-Belfast, Waterford-Derry or Dublin to West Cork is a killer in terms of times and cost

ki

Khan77 wrote: »

i think the expansion of the top two leagues is a good idea and suppose most of the contracted and academy players would gravitate towards these teams. TBH 32 teams below this level competing on an all ireland basis is a bit too much. I think they should have split into division two north and division two south. With the advent of prefessional provincial teams, British Irish Cup for provincial A-sides the AIL has realistically a smaller dimension to play in development of players and expanding this league is the wrong way to go IMO. My junior club has been historically a feeder for the local senior club and the great majority play for about two years before knocking it on the head citing time taken for travel as the biggest turnoff. Connemara-Belfast, Waterford-Derry or Dublin to West Cork is a killer in terms of times and cost

Yeah, sounds like a good idea but then your back to almost a provincial set-up again, so I would be in favour of reducing the senior league.

Khan77

ki wrote: »

Yeah, sounds like a good idea but then your back to almost a provincial set-up again, so I would be in favour of reducing the senior league.

Should have added that I think 40 AIL teams is plenty, 52 is pushing it and splitting the bottom 20 on a geographical basis would be a another advantage. The provincial senior leagues could then be mainly played when the British-Irish Leagues are on to keep things even between the Div 1 and 2 teams. I heard one team wanted to drop out of AIL 3 this year (not Carlow or Portadown) purely on basis of finances but were prevented by the IRFU

Gargled

It's definitely gonna be tough financially for these junior clubs all being thrown up at once. Usually you get a standout junior club a year with the players and structure to go up.

Think they have gone with too many senior clubs tbh although with the provinces cutting back financially and Connaught possibly becoming a academy mix the standard could improve.

Remember St. Marys topped AIL1 this season with only 1 U20 contracted player