A whiff of Cordite

[ronk]

Munster’s isn’t either. But between payment for English internationals and the franchise players, the top English clubs could easily be spending more. Don’t have exact figures.

[OTT]

But if Pro 14 had a salary cap we might not be able to play these guys every week

Furlong 1 game
Sexton 3 games
Healy 5 games
JVDF 4 games
Conan 3 games
Larmour 4 games
Ryan 2 games
Ringrose 4 games
Henshaw 4 games

[Dave Cahill]

I'd imagine Leinster's total salary costs are higher than most English clubs. You don't get a squad of internationals on the cheap.

Yep, the wage bill for players at Leinster would be a lot closer to a French side than an English side. The idea that we're using 53 players, half of them internationals, for the price of a bag of banshee bones is laughable.

On a like for like system basis if we were an English club, we wouldn't be within cooey of the English salary cap, it would be a rapidly disappearing point in the rear view mirror. Equally, if Sarries were an Irish province, they'd have no problems comparing their wage bill to one in England as so many of their best players wouldn't be on their tick.

We don't have a like for like system though, we have a system that is designed to be compatible with the reality of the sport of rugby union in Ireland, for better (world class players, lots of them, playing locally) and for worse (we see them for maybe 10-12 games a season at most). England's system isn't optimised for the reality of rugby union in England, it's optimised for the continued existance of too many clubs at the top level. The reality is that there is really only enough money for maybe 8, at an absolute push 10, top level clubs in England

[joooooe]

Back on topic, and very close to it actually, GT has a "whiff of vengeance" today. Assuredly.

[riocard911]

Seems Zebo might be given the heave-ho by Racing what with Kurtley Beale joining them next season. This causes Ruaidhrí O'Connor to plead in today's Indo, that "Munster must move heaven and earth" to bring the 30 year old prodigal son home. What gives? I thought the kitty down LImerick way was empty after the big splash on Snyman and DDA. Or will the IRFU be asked to pick up the tab for this particular manoeuver?......

[bluemagic]

Seems Zebo might be given the heave-ho by Racing what with Kurtley Beale joining them next season. This causes Ruaidhrí O'Connor to plead in today's Indo, that "Munster must move heaven and earth" to bring the 30 year old prodigal son home. What gives? I thought the kitty down LImerick way was empty after the big splash on Snyman and DDA. Or will the IRFU be asked to pick up the tab for this particular manoeuver?......

With Gallagher, Daly and Haley Munster have some very good options at fullback. Putting my intense dislike of zebo aside it would be stupid for Munster to splash out on him. He’s overweight, out of form and has a terrible attitude

[olaf the fat]

Zebo going back to Munster - at the right price - wouldn't be bad for Munster. He is very popular with MFs, JVG wont play the young lads anyway, so it may as well be one of our own rather than the next South African or New Zealander Journeyman who really buys into the jersey etc. etc.

[Peg Leg]

Seems Zebo might be given the heave-ho by Racing what with Kurtley Beale joining them next season. This causes Ruaidhrí O'Connor to plead in today's Indo, that "Munster must move heaven and girth" to bring the 30 year old prodigal son home. What gives? I thought the kitty down LImerick way was empty after the big splash on Snyman and DDA. Or will the IRFU be asked to pick up the tab for this particular manoeuver?......

Fixed

[FLIP]

Can the IRFU budget handle the increased cost in pain au chocolat?

[hugonaut]

Seems Zebo might be given the heave-ho by Racing what with Kurtley Beale joining them next season. This causes Ruaidhrí O'Connor to plead in today's Indo, that "Munster must move heaven and earth" to bring the 30 year old prodigal son home. What gives? I thought the kitty down LImerick way was empty after the big splash on Snyman and DDA. Or will the IRFU be asked to pick up the tab for this particular manoeuver?......

Two things to bear in mind:
1] Munster owe the IRFU loads of money, so the IRFU want lots of Munster fans going to games so that they get their money back sooner. Finances are a f*cking massive deal at the moment for the union.

2] Finances are a f*cking massive deal at the moment for the union. Zebo has a spotty record at test level, is unprofessional in many regards, is being paid a big salary in Paris and is in the worst wallow of his career. Nucifora isn't going to be pushing the boat out for a guy who has 1-2 years of international rugby left in him.

[blockhead]

Seems Zebo might be given the heave-ho by Racing what with Kurtley Beale joining them next season. This causes Ruaidhrí O'Connor to plead in today's Indo, that "Munster must move heaven and girth" to bring the 30 year old prodigal son home. What gives? I thought the kitty down LImerick way was empty after the big splash on Snyman and DDA. Or will the IRFU be asked to pick up the tab for this particular manoeuver?......

Fixed

Took me a while have to say

[Dave Cahill]

Seems Zebo might be given the heave-ho by Racing what with Kurtley Beale joining them next season. This causes Ruaidhrí O'Connor to plead in today's Indo, that "Munster must move heaven and earth" to bring the 30 year old prodigal son home. What gives? I thought the kitty down LImerick way was empty after the big splash on Snyman and DDA. Or will the IRFU be asked to pick up the tab for this particular manoeuver?......

Two things to bear in mind:
1] Munster owe the IRFU loads of money, so the IRFU want lots of Munster fans going to games so that they get their money back sooner. Finances are a f*cking massive deal at the moment for the union.

2] Finances are a f*cking massive deal at the moment for the union. Zebo has a spotty record at test level, is unprofessional in many regards, is being paid a big salary in Paris and is in the worst wallow of his career. Nucifora isn't going to be pushing the boat out for a guy who has 1-2 years of international rugby left in him.

Leaving aside his avant garde approach to fitness and professionalism, is there even a spot for him in the Munster squad. In the back three they have Earls, Conway, Sweetnam, Nash, Haley, Gallagher and Daly. Thats a fully loaded cadre of back three players and one thats pretty well balanced in terms of age and experience.

[Dave Cahill]

oops

[riocard911]

Seems Zebo might be given the heave-ho by Racing what with Kurtley Beale joining them next season. This causes Ruaidhrí O'Connor to plead in today's Indo, that "Munster must move heaven and girth" to bring the 30 year old prodigal son home. What gives? I thought the kitty down LImerick way was empty after the big splash on Snyman and DDA. Or will the IRFU be asked to pick up the tab for this particular manoeuver?......

Fixed

Nice one! Bon appetit!!!

[hugonaut]

Two things to bear in mind:
1] Munster owe the IRFU loads of money, so the IRFU want lots of Munster fans going to games so that they get their money back sooner. Finances are a f*cking massive deal at the moment for the union.

2] Finances are a f*cking massive deal at the moment for the union. Zebo has a spotty record at test level, is unprofessional in many regards, is being paid a big salary in Paris and is in the worst wallow of his career. Nucifora isn't going to be pushing the boat out for a guy who has 1-2 years of international rugby left in him.

Leaving aside his avant garde approach to fitness and professionalism, is there even a spot for him in the Munster squad. In the back three they have Earls, Conway, Sweetnam, Nash, Haley, Gallagher and Daly. Thats a fully loaded cadre of back three players and one thats pretty well balanced in terms of age and experience.

My answer is no, to be frank. I don't even know what they intend to do with Gallagher, to be blunt. He played in a lot of second grade competitions with Saracens and Bedford [Premiership Rugby Cup, Anglo-Welsh Cup, British & Irish Cup], so while he has played quite a lot of rugby for a 23 year old, he has only started 16 first grade games [Premiership and European Cup]. 14 of them were at fullback. He's a fullback.

Haley played really well for the first part of the 2019-20 season, Daly was done really well at the end of it. Don't see where Gallagher fits.

[paddyor]

The latest wheeze from this side of the Irish sea is that the Pro14 should have a salary cap. This is coming straight faced from English rugby supporters.

I doubt any one province would have been anywhere near above the average salary level in the prem pre-covid.

We spend c37m on pro games costs ex academies. That’ll be coaching tickets( Leinster and Munsters ain’t cheap) and about 170-180 pros. No idea of that includes physio/medical staff and the like.

English matche fees come to c€5.5 and welsh about€3.3 iirc. Given our priority I’d tend to the higher of the 2(maybe higher again?). I think that leaves 2 if not 3 in the ballpark with one maxing out with exemptions and allowances.

What’s the point though? It’s not like there’s massive competition between the unions for each other’s players. It’s literally dragging everyone down to the level of the welsh who can’t afford 4 prop teams.

[Ruckedtobits]

Possible mental fatigue in overlooking the impact of our career-based tax rebate. It actually has a significant impact for senior players i.e. well paid Province or Central Contractors. They collect at termination of final contract - subject to having played a minimum number of years in Ireland. Actual benefit (in numbers) is advised to Agent & Player in all Province & National negotiations.

Nobody knows exact total player costs, except Tom Grace & IRFU Finance Director. Committee members on Prof Board have an idea of "total costs" of Pro Rugby (per Province or Nationally) but that includes lots of specific employees & lots of add-ons associated with Pro game.

Success & playing bonuses also make comparisons with UK or France almost impossible. Best guess is that our Squad costs are comparable to Exeter or Castres - but below Gloucester, Racing, Toulouse or Bristol (at present). Sale is another outfit that many wonder about their total costs.

[Up Wexford]

Ah good to know about the tax rebate. I had it in the back of my mind it had been rescinded or maybe altered. Is it a 10 year spell in total as a pro rugby player in Ireland allows you to claim back tax accrued on contracts/paycheques over the 10 years? I also seem to remember it was similar to the artists tax break or some such, but can barely figure out my own payslip to be honest. It is a super initiative however and I would echo the above in how important it is to the success of Irish rugby.

[johng]

The change was that you no longer needed to finish your career in Ireland.

Like shane byrne had to after his stint with saracens.

He had to play a season of AIL to get his rebate.

[nc6000]

From Brendan Fanning's piece on the Saracens game........Ouch!

"Would a full house have changed anything? It would have taken the roof off in the last quarter when Jordan Larmour was skating over. But that's only if they had come back from the bar after the first 20 minutes."

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ ... 45336.html