NOW THAT the All-Ireland League title seems to have taken up permanent residence on the banks of the Shannon, maybe it is time for a new look at rugby as organised in this country. Now that the cat is out of the bag as far as payment to players is concerned, it behoves everybody involved in the sport to attempt to change the conservative nature of the way the game is administered and funded. One of the first things that springs to mind is the drawing up of fixture lists.
A few weeks ago I was at Dooradoyle for the Garryowen-Old Wesley match and was saddened that the crowd there was so sparse. It was only when I realised that Shannon were playing a crucial match just a few miles away that I observed that many Garryowen supporters had slipped away to Thomond Park for the afternoon.
A couple of weeks previously, I was in Donnybrook where we could hear the cheers from Anglesea Road. A week or two earlier at the Old Belvedere ground, I realised that Lansdowne, St Mary's and Blackrock were also at home that day, so that within a radius of about 10 miles four important matches in the League were being played at the same time on the same day. That situation seems to be crazy
The point that the IRFU should address itself to is the extension of interest in the game generally, particularly with reference to the new climate in rugby. One of the first things to do is make the games more accessible to a much wider audience. The best way to go about that is to organise the premier competition - the All-Ireland League - in a way which will attract more spectators and help to lead to a more competitive climax to the season.
So, for a start, why not get the fixture problem sorted out. Even that most conservative of sporting organisations (most of the time), the GAA, now frequently uses Saturday to play important matches, a break-away from the traditional Sunday.
Why can't the All-Ireland League use Sunday more frequently to plan important matches, particularly with a view to avoiding the fixture clashes which are outlined above.
There are now floodlights of a high standard at three of the major rugby venues, namely Lansdowne Road, Thomond Park and Anglesea Road. These give a further opportunity for organising an attractive fixture list.
The point has been made that a number of the Ulster teams would not be keen on playing Sunday rugby and, of course, that would have to be taken into account and appreciated but the use of Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays should all be used to widen the options which are open. In some cases fixture clashes will not be possible to avoid but that should not mean that an effort should not be made. The madness of the situations which have already been mentioned should be avoided as far as is possible.
Then there is the situation which can arise in any league-type competition, namely that one or two dominant teams may be out of sight of the others at an early stage and the league ends up like a procession, with the result that the competitive edge is gone long before the last matches are played.
The GAA's National League structure in hurling and football could be put into operation here with the top four teams after the round-robin series of matches going into a knock-out phase with two semi-finals as a double header and the final the following weekend.
A double header at Lansdowne Road or Thomond Park featuring Young Munster, Lansdowne, Ballymena and Cork Constitution, or any other four teams for that matter, would be a very attractive knock-out double bill.
Leaving the AIL aside there should surely be a very strong lobby to revive the old Bateman Cup which was, at one time, a kind of a rugby All-Ireland competition. They are still talking about a Young Munster victory in that competition down in Charlie St George's. That was, I think, in 1928 or some such date. They have very long memories.
Again the attractions of such a competition would give the game a higher profile and would require only a couple of weekends.
Reluctant though some of us may have been about the change to professionalism, there is nothing to be done now but to make the best of the situation as it develops.
A fresh look at the structures of the game is needed with a view to spreading the gospel. The best way to do that is to make the premier competition - the All Ireland League - a more attractive proposition for more and more people and by extension, more and more players.
In spite of changing times, rugby can remain an exciting and valuable part of our sporting heritage. Leadership and foresight are the qualities which can ensure a brighter future.
