Rugby:The All Ireland League will be increased from 48 to 52 teams from the start of the 2011-2012 season as the IRFU embarks on a number of changes to the existing league structure.
Following a lengthy consultation process with the clubs, players, coaches and other stakeholders the IRFU also plan to introduce rolling substitutions on a trial basis and new regulations on the use of provincially contracted players by league teams.
Any move to a regionalised competition has also been shelved with the consultation process revealing the majority supported an all Ireland format.
From the start of 2011-2012 season, Divisions 1A and 1B will increase in size from eight to ten teams while Divisions two and three will be known as Division 2A and 2B.
The qualifications process for the new league structure will include promotion and relegation in the following order:
* Top two clubs in Division 1B promoted to Division 1A (to give a ten team league)
* Play-off between bottom club in Division 1A and 3rd in Division 1B
* Top four clubs in Division 2 promoted to Division 1B (to give a ten team league)
* Play-off between bottom club in Division 1B and 5th in Division 2
* Top four clubs in Division 3 promoted to new Division 2A
* Play-off between bottom club in Division 2 and 5th in Division 3
* There will be no relegation from Division 3
* The four provincial qualifying league winners promoted to the 'new' Division 2B
Once the new leagues have been decided, the current play-off system will be abandoned although consideration may be given to playoffs in Division 1A in the future.
New regulations for contracted players participating in the league were also announced, with fully contracted players to be limited to playing in Division 1A and 1B. Only two contracted players can be named in any one club’s squad for a match. Fully contracted foreign players cannot play in any of the leagues.
“The importance of the All Ireland League in the fabric of Irish Rugby cannot be underestimated and in these changing times, the new structures represent the need for progress of club rugby in Ireland,” IRFU President John Callaghan said,today.
“I congratulate all of those involved and look forward to the increased competition that these new structures promise to bring.”