@profitius said in Jimmy Gopperth:
Pot, it's interesting to see how much younger the average player is these days. In the last 2 years Munster and Leinster are after having big clear outs of squad players. Anyone who is over a certain age and doesn't play much when fit is gone. That's happened at an accelerated rate since Nucifora came in.
I'd say the IRFU and Nucifora have abandoned competing for the champions cup for the short to concentrate on making Ireland stronger.
Yeah, that's becoming apparent, and Connacht is going the same way.
Ulster seem to be the odd man out in managing to get dispensations from the rules from time to time. I think they have 7 NIE/NIQ players on the books currently although one is only a short-term injury replacement.
I hope that Nucifora closes the door more on the project players, although I don't know whether it would be illegal to put a formal block on uncapped non-Irish players in place. Probably not as it would have to be age-related too.
IRFU are pushing strongly for change to the PRO12 financial structures and what they can deliver themselves, without further investment/bailout by the union a la Munster this year. I think that they may have to go down the NZRU route and involve private sector in part-ownership of the provinces in some way. Remains to be seen whether there is interest though.
