George Hook calls it "Not before time"

I've heard another unfounded rumour. Not only are the IRFU going to disband the Connacht Branch, but they are going to sink the entire province to the bottom of the ocean, Atlantis style. Irish Independent calls it "Sad, yet inevitable".

That's completely unfounded! Last year the IRFU bailed them out to the tune of 960K on stadium repayments, and last time I checked that's a SIX figure deficit.

theCulk wrote: any chance of an auld copy n paste

This is the quote from munsterfans:

rumour tonight that a new Connacht CEO will not be appointed by the IRFU until HC is resolved....

Heard a story recently from a very good friend whose grandfather was once the president of connacht club that there is really really bad news with regard to the IRFU'S intentions coming down the track fast.

So: A friend of a grandfather of a friend who used to be involved with a Club that played in Connacht has unspecefied bad news about what the IRFU intend.

Well, that's good enough for me.

Edit: And while we're in rumor territory and baseless speculation, people on boards.ie say that Munster is operating a 7 figure deficit (down to stadium repayments).

sea_point wrote:
If I remember correctly the original €400k came about due to our injury crisis last season, so I'd fully expect that the additional excess relates to our serious injury crisis for much of thiscseasn......

The 400K was made up of overspends from each of the last 3 seasons, the overspend for the current season, and a shortfall in projected income this year (attendances down).

The extra half million which we'll be short (either the start of the new season or at the end of 2014, Fanning says both in his article and doesn't seem to know) equates suspiciously well to our anazing, and about to end sponsorship deal with Mazda. We have no sponsor in place for next year as yet.

I'd be ringing BT Sports myself :evil:

whestisbest wrote: Would really have to question the motive and timing of this article. All very sinister in my opinion. Why do we always have to be looking behind our backs, to look out for the man in the Blazer trying to stab us in the back!? As has already been said here, why was it just Connacht's budget deficit that was mentioned? Are the other three provinces all outstanding run business? Doubt it.

This is non story. Professional teams all over the world run on deficits, it's the nature of the beast. We sure as hell aren't the only province in Ireland with this problem.

PS. Sindo is a complete rag, worse than a most red tops.

If I remember correctly the original €400k came about due to our injury crisis last season, so I'd fully expect that the additional excess relates to our serious injury crisis for much of thiscseasn......

Would really have to question the motive and timing of this article. All very sinister in my opinion. Why do we always have to be looking behind our backs, to look out for the man in the Blazer trying to stab us in the back!? As has already been said here, why was it just Connacht's budget deficit that was mentioned? Are the other three provinces all outstanding run business? Doubt it.

This is non story. Professional teams all over the world run on deficits, it's the nature of the beast. We sure as hell aren't the only province in Ireland with this problem.

PS. Sindo is a complete rag, worse than a most red tops.

any chance of an auld copy n paste

Read that myself. Hope it's just rumour.

Rumour quoted on the Munsterfans forum tonight that the IRFU have intentions about Connacht which is very bad news for us. Has anyone heard anything?

Massive hole to fill. But you're right. I wonder what Munsters deficit is..

What about announcing the other provinces? How come it's only announced for us? Agenda anyone?

www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/connacht-...crisis-29929268.html

It was confirmed at the December meeting of the IRFU committee that between a shortfall in projected income, and an overspend on the professional game, Connacht will be saddled with a €900,000 deficit going into next season. It remains to be seen how this affects their ability to plan and recruit.