Does the IRFU player management scheme go too far? (the rest programme for IRL intls)

thomond2006 wrote: »

So, does the player scheme go too far in your view?

Very much so. Excellent article from Whiff of Cordite, the notion that the Connacht lads, but also Marshall, Cronin, Sherry and Cave need extra rest after their 'exertions' in New Zealand is ridiculous.

[Suggestion to Thomond2006; maybe modify the thread title so as to specify that "player management" is different from "player succession", because the debate on limiting foreigners will drag this thread down very quickly]

There was a article in yesterday's Sunday Times by Peter O'Reilly along the same lines, i.e. that Kidney would be looking for more contact with his internationals, such as monthly camps even when there are no games scheduled. It's going way over the top, IMO.

O'Reilly said that chasing a domestic double (as Leinster have done the last two years) and winning a Grand Slam are mutually exclusive and I would well believe that Kidney is of the same opinion. That completely ignores the fact that:
a) Munster were not that far off the double when Ireland did win the GS in 09
b) The knockout stages of the HC and Rabo take place AFTER the Six Nations.
so skewed logic there, but then that's par for the course when it comes to the IRFU.

I think there's a lot of danger attached to making everything and everyone subservient to the primacy of the national team; while that should be the objective, I think the IRFU are going about in a very, very poor fashion. I would suggest they get their own house in order first; it's now 5 months since the Twickenham meltdown and we still have no scrum coach.

Eoin wrote: »

A bit off topic, but how well do Irish teams have to do in the Rabo before they drop this argument? According to Wikipedia, there has been an Irish finalist every year but one, and usually at least 2 Irish teams in the top 4.

I think the point is that the Irish teams can treat it as a B-league and still cruise through it which highlights how poor the league is, yet 10 of 12 Rabo teams are guaranteed HEC qualification every year.

It does and it doesn't in my opinion.

The IRFU are very good at looking after player welfare when they're spending time at their province, restricting how much they can play etc., and also the unused players being rested, I don't have a major issue with that though to be honest. All though I would like players to be available all the time, I understand the caution taken.

That is, however, until international rugby rolls around, and then I think not only do they not take it far enough, but they're border line reckless.

The IRFU treat a 3 test tour as a more important part of a players career than perhaps the following entire season, or even the longevity of his career.

The news about Sean O'Brien perhaps being out for the season is one thing, and he was known to need an operation prior to the tour, but the likes of Paul O'Connell and especially Brian O'Driscoll have been flogged to death for Ireland, with little concern for their club career and sometimes bordering on contempt for their club career, only really accounting for how long until the next Irish test and will they recover.

Leamy, Flannery and a whole host of other internationals fell on being flogged also.

I think the IRFU are at this point SO intimidated by provincial rugby that (the cynic in me suggests) they are almost sabotaging the provincial game to protect the interest in international rugby, which has largely lost the sense of absolute importance over provincial rugby over the last number of years, according to their last survey, only slightly being more important to fans than provincial rugby overall, but with a large respondent putting provincial rugby well ahead of international rugby. This followed by a raft of changes to foreign players rules, meaning that fine, if the provinces want to do well, then it'll have to be with Irish players, pretty much only, which will definitely hamper their competetiveness, and then the Irish team should in theory always outshine the provincial teams. Very very negative attitude. Essentially curtailing the improvements and top tier performances of the provincial team, because they were failing to translate it to the national team, and instead of blaming their own ineptness and their conservative boys club with Eddie the lap dog followed by Deccie the yes man, they go after what is working in Irish rugby to real it back in, rather than going after what's failing and broadening their approach to it (international rugby). Too much politics and agendas in the IRFU for the national team to ever realise its potential.

So in response to the thread, I don't think they go way over the top with protecting players when they don't need them, as they don't mind (and perhaps want) to deprive the provinces, whilst also happy to send players out in green with a limb hanging off them and to hell with the provinces, so many players need that protection from the IRFU with time off imo. But certainly some players are held back needlessly, for reasons already alluded to.

Just for context; the Welsh regions have to release their players 13 days before any Wales international. Since Wales have four Autumn matches this year, the regions will lose their internationals on 28th October and get them back on 3rd December.

Simon Easterby pointed out in the Sunday Times this weekend that this means the Blues, Scarlets and Ospreys will be without their key players for five weeks and then have 6 days with them to prepare for round 3 of the HC. That's not sustainable; prioritising the national team is all well and good but the Welsh set-up is not a template Ireland should be following; the Welsh regions haven't helped themselves at times but the WRU is choking them to death.