RUGBY:THE COMPARISONS between rewarding Eddie O'Sullivan with a four-year deal just weeks before departure to the 2007 World Cup in France and the IRFU announcement last night that the current coaching ticket have had their contracts extended until 2013 are unavoidable.

Granted, there are some notable differences. In August 2007, only O’Sullivan was handed a four-year extension while this time the IRFU have given two-year contracts to head coach Declan Kidney along with his assistants Gert Smal, Les Kiss and Mark Tainton.

It is not, however, a blanket rubber stamping of the coaching team. Former Munster head coach and current Irish backs coach Alan Gaffney has decided to return home to Australia where he intends to remain at the elite end of rugby in some capacity.

This seems to indicate that Kidney will increase his influence over the Irish backline next season although union chief executive Philip Browne did confirm that another specialist coach can be brought in before the Six Nations, should Kidney so wish.

When Browne was asked if the union had any concerns about making a similar decision to 2007 when renewing the incumbents’ contracts before this September’s World Cup, he replied: “The reality is we’re very happy with the progress the Ireland team is making under the current coaching team. I think that is there for everyone to see.

“I think it provides a certain amount of stability going into the World Cup and we are very happy with the decision and that the guys have agreed to extend their contracts.”

It was put to Browne that the decision could be perceived as financially motivated as it would cost the IRFU more to renegotiate with the quartet, while also avoid head-hunting, should Ireland have a successful campaign in New Zealand.

“It has nothing to do with that at all,” said Browne. “We have a good coaching team and everyone is happy there. That’s really what dictates the decision.”

The reverse situation was also put to Browne. How will these appointments look should Ireland, like in 2007, fail to qualify from their pool?

“At the end of the day, once the lads are doing their job that’s where we are. I think we are very comfortable with the situation, the team is progressing well. The performance of the team is down to the players and the quality of the coaching team we had there. From that point of view we are very happy.

“The team has made significant progress over the last two years in terms of results and the development of players in international competition.”

Browne also refused to erect any barriers regarding Kidney’s potential involvement with the 2013 Lions tour to Australia.

Kidney commented via a press release: “I am especially pleased that three of the other coaches are staying in place to continue to work with the team, as I believe they have all been instrumental in helping to bring the squad along in terms of the players and performance levels.”

The announcement was made last night midway through the IRFU annual general meeting at the Aviva Stadium where chartered accountant John Hussey, from St Mary’s College RFC, became the 124th president of the union.

Browne also made it clear that Ireland will continue to be part of future Under-20 World Cups after the IRB accepted their recent objections regarding the timing of the event (in June), squad sizes and time between matches would be addressed.

However, the future of sevens rugby in Ireland remains unresolved with Browne stating “it does not complement” the 15-man game and there is “little scope for generating sufficient revenues to cover its costs”.