27 Contracts Accepted but Where to Next for Women’s Rugby?

29 of the 37 women rugby players who were offered between €15,000 and €30,000 to sign player contracts that will see them training full-time at the IRFU High-Performance Centre have accepted the offer.

The remaining eight have chosen not to for a variety of reasons ranging from already having contract obligations overseas or choosing to remain in their existing full-time employment outside of the sport.

The players have not been named and include a mix of players with the 7s and the 15s squads.

It was also confirmed that Ireland would enter an initial one team into a new Celtic Cup to take place in January and February. This would rise to two the following year and as high as four but there was no confirmation that this would be along similar lines to the provincial structure in the Men’s game.

The Energia All Ireland League will continue as will the Vodafone Interprovincial competitions but clearly, Women’s rugby is in a continuing state of flux and it remains to be seen where the now professional players will play most if not all of their rugby.

It is also unclear yet when or where the Celtic Cup will take place, but presumably, that will be determined in the very near future to provide an understanding of how players will fit into what is looking like a congested early year period.

IRFU Head of Performance David Nucifora said that team selection would come down “as it always has, to performance,” keeping to door open for international selection to those who did not, or have not yet signed up to the contracts but clearly it will be harder to impress from outside the high performance environment.

The IRFU appointed Gillian McDarby to the role of Head of Women’s Performance and Pathways this autumn and clearly, her desk is filling up with pieces of the jigsaw puzzle that need to be sorted and put into place.

These elements emerged in a wide-ranging session David Nucifora held with media yesterday ranging from the Women’s game to Men’s Head Coach Andy Farrell, the upcoming Nabk of Ireland Autumn Nations Series, and a wide range of other subjects.