Humphreys Aims To Balance Irish Rugby Without Undoing Leinster's Success
Humphreys Aims To Balance Irish Rugby Without Undoing Leinster's Success
David Humphreys vows to strengthen Irish rugby by boosting Connacht, Munster and Ulster, while maintaining Leinster’s dominance as a global powerhouse.
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Irish Rugby Football Union Performance Director David Humphreys has pledged to address disparities among Ireland’s four provinces, while ensuring that Leinster’s dominant setup remains a model of success, rather than a target for leveling.
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Leinster, winner of multiple domestic and European titles, has been a powerhouse in recent years, reaching three consecutive Champions Cup finals and recruiting high-profile players, such as RG Snyman, Jordie Barrett and Rabah Slimani.
The province’s dominance, coupled with the provision of the majority of players to the national team, has sparked criticism from supporters of other provinces, who allege an institutional bias favoring the Dublin-based club.
Humphreys, who succeeded David Nucifora as the overseer of Irish high-performance rugby last spring, acknowledged Leinster’s success but stressed that Connacht, Munster and Ulster must address their shortcomings internally, rather than expecting Leinster’s operations to be curtailed.
“To have 50% from one province is too much,” Humphreys said, referencing the 23 Leinster players named in Ireland’s Six Nations squad and the 50 Leinster representatives among 100 players across Ireland’s U18, U19 and U20 squads.
“Our system isn’t working properly, but again, it’s a credit to Leinster," he added. "What we’ve got to try and do is reduce that reliance on Leinster across all our squads. At this moment in time, Leinster have been unbelievably successful. Everyone in rugby is looking to what Leinster are doing. For me, it’s about making sure that Leinster remain where they are.”
While Humphreys aims to maintain Leinster’s high standards, he underscored the importance of strengthening the other provinces.
“It’s about making sure the support that goes to the other provinces allows them to progress,” he said. “Long-term Irish success is supported by all of our provinces being competitive.”
Munster, for instance, recently has been competitive in the United Rugby Championship, and the province is bolstering its squad for next season with the signings of Leinster’s Michael Milne and Lee Barron, as well as Irish-qualified center Dan Kelly from Leicester.
However, Humphreys dismissed the idea of forcibly redistributing Leinster players to other provinces as a solution.
“We will only move players who want to move,” Humphreys said. “None of our provinces can rely on that being the solution to some of their problems. The challenge for them is to develop their pathways and give players opportunities to come through.”
Humphreys also highlighted Leinster’s unique advantages, such as being based in the capital city, but encouraged each province to focus on tailored strategies, rather than comparing themselves to Leinster.
“What’s right for one province isn’t necessarily right for all four,” Humphreys said. “We have to ensure the provinces close the gap to where Leinster currently is.”
Under Humphreys’ leadership, the IRFU aims to foster competitive provincial teams capable of contributing to Ireland’s international success without compromising Leinster’s hard-earned excellence.
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