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Irish Daily Mirror
23-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Sevens players victims of potential IRFU money worries says Brian O'Driscoll
Brian O'Driscoll has speculated that the IRFU has cut the Men's Sevens squad because of potential financial issues "down the line". The Leinster and Ireland great says that he has "total sympathy" for the plight of the players who were informed last week that the programme has been shut down. They were subsequently told that they will be paid until the end of the year but the IRFU has been criticised by current and former Sevens stars and their families for this action. "Almost immediately they got onto the HSBC series and they have had an awful lot of success," O'Driscoll told Off The Ball. "OK, they didn't manage to win one of the events but they've been in finals, they've been third in the World Cup a few years ago in Cape Town, they've been incredibly consistent. "So I have total sympathy for their situation, how all of these players now all of a sudden look as though they're going to be out of a gig." Former IRFU performance director David Nucifora, who founded the Sevens programme, has described the decision as "total nonsense". O'Driscoll, however, adds that there's two sides to every story and he insists that Irish rugby chiefs - including Nucifora's successor, David Humphreys -must have a good reason for their decision. "I would imagine that the powers that be within the IRFU haven't taken this decision lightly," said O'Driscoll. "My sense is that there's potential trouble looming down the line from a financial point of view and all this comes down to is securing financial stability over the course of the next five to 10 years. "It's been very well documented about Wales, I think Scotland are not far away from being in a similar predicament or are certainly on the road there. "Even a union like Ireland, who everyone thought was bulletproof, when you see an €18 and a half million loss last year, the implications of a World Cup year when you don't host those November Test matches having such a significant impact on the balance sheet, there's something not right. "We're seeing clubs in the UK folding, we know that three of the four provinces are really struggling from a funding point of view, commercially not successful at the moment, they just haven't really recovered post-Covid. "So I think the decision is a financial one and I feel for David Humphreys where he has come into the role and now he's barely got his feet under the desk and he has to deliver this sort of news. "And it's not just because I know Humphs and know what sort of a guy he is. This is a bigger picture piece and it doesn't mean that everyone shouldn't feel worthy of feeling hard done by. "The Union, the players, the public, because it's not a good news story or news day for anyone. I think many of us thought Sevens was going to be the route into the global market, it became an Olympic sport, an opportunity to achieve a medal of some sort - it's such a carrot to these players. "But ultimately Sevens in Ireland is about being a feeder into 15, which runs the game and is the financial payer and the capital appreciator of rugby and you can't get away from that. "I'd be interested to ask all the players who play Sevens, I bet you all of them would say Sevens isn't the final marker or where they want to reach. I bet you all of them see it as a segue into the 15s game. "So it's very disappointing from their perspective because of the unbelievable work that they have put in, almost over-achieving based on the quality of global teams, but it's got to be a bigger picture piece around what is coming down the line. You can't get away from that and it's just trying to future proof the security of rugby in general in Ireland."
The Irish Sun
16-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘Incredibly disappointing' – Brian O'Driscoll blasts IRFU decision to axe men's rugby Sevens team
BRIAN O'Driscoll has added his voice to the chorus of dismay at the IRFU axing the Irish men's rugby Sevens team. The shock move Advertisement 3 The 46-year-old stated he understands why there's such 'anger and frustration' among the men's Sevens players 3 Sevens star Terry Kennedy has labelled the decision 'nothing short of a disgrace' 3 Legendary former fly-half David Humphreys took over as IRFU High Performance Director in June 2024 Several sevens players have expressed their outrage at their career prospects being cut from under them in such a drastic way. And now Ireland's greatest-ever Union player has come down firmly on their side. He tweeted: "Incredibly disappointing to see the Irish rugby mens 7's being discontinued. "Have loved watching them on the @SVNSSeries over the past decade or so - more than holding their own against the best of the worlds 7's teams. Advertisement Read More On Irish Sport "Understandably I'm sure there's a lot of anger and frustration within their camp." In a statement, the IRFU said the decision to cancel the programme was in part to "ensure long-term financial sustainability". It read: "The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) today confirmed that following a comprehensive review of its Sevens programmes after the conclusion of the 2024 Olympic cycle, it has made the decision to cease the Men's Sevens programme following the conclusion of the 2024/25 season. "This move is part of a broader strategic effort to ensure long-term financial sustainability and focus on key initiatives outlined in the Union's strategic plan. Advertisement Most read in Rugby Union "This announcement follows the release of the IRFU's financial results last November, which showed an €18 million deficit for the 2023/24 season. "As part of its ongoing efforts to manage this deficit and secure a sustainable financial future, the IRFU has been reviewing all of its programmes to identify areas for optimisation and prioritisation. Shocking moment enormous brawl breaks out in rubgy league after 'horrendous hit' 'While the decision to end the Men's Sevens programme is a difficult one, it is necessary in order to ensure that our resources are focused on the areas that will have the greatest impact on the future of the game in Ireland. Advertisement "We are committed to making sure that this transition is handled with the utmost respect for all those who have contributed to the success of the Sevens programme.' DARDIS OUTRAGE Vice-chair of the Olympic Federation of Ireland's Athletes Commission Billy Dardis had criticised the IRFU for being "short-sighted" while breaking the news. Dardis captained the team on its Olympic debut, when it came 10th in Tokyo but missed out on selection for Paris World Rugby unveiled a new three-tier competition at the start of the month with the top tier reduced from 12 to eight teams. Ireland came 11th with the squad which came second last year decimated by retirements. Advertisement And Dardis believes the Ireland team was doomed since the departure of David Nucifora as the IRFU's performance director. He fumed: 'Sevens is probably the younger brother that they want to push away and quieten down. 'What happened in the last month, it would be like if the 'I was joking last night that we were like the Jamaican Advertisement 'By all accounts, on Monday the lads are getting told that there is no programme next year.' Dardis' intervention prompted the IRFU to bring forward its announcement planned for Monday but he said it had not come as a surprise. He said: 'Lads are going looking for jobs right now. It's a bit of a mess. It's devastating. 'It has just been infuriating watching it because ten players retired last year after Paris and not one player was replaced. So they only had 13 or 14 players across the whole squad this year. Advertisement 'They didn't bring in one so you kind of see the cracks. They weren't putting in the same amount of funding. Coaches and performance staff started to leave. 'I've come to terms with it and I think the lads as well. It's, 'OK I need to find a job for next year' and some of them have.' Dardis believes a podium finish in Paris might have saved the team but said that was not the only measure of success. WARD EXAMPLE He said: 'You look at Zac Ward kicking on now at Ulster, Andrew Smith at Munster, you could go right across the provinces. Advertisement 'Hugo Keenan is now playing for the Lions, so lots of good things have come out of it. It's short-sighted by both World Rugby and Irish Rugby. 'It was driven by David Nucifora. It was just after Ireland got hammered by Argentina in that 2015 "He saw the crossover and parallels, and he pushed it. It was his baby.. 'We didn't quite realise it at the time, he was the one driving it. With David Humphreys coming in, I thought he was going to be a big supporter of it. Advertisement 'But leading into Paris, there were a few cracks. There wasn't a Sevens academy being built over a few years, so you are thinking, 'what's going to happen here?''
Belfast Telegraph
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Sevens rugby made me as a player... the IRFU's call to axe Men's team is a disgrace, blasts Ulster winger
Zac Ward has branded the IRFU's decision to axe the Men's Sevens team as a 'disgrace' after the governing body delivered the stunning news that it would be discontinuing the programme. The Ulster winger, who was part of the Ireland squad that competed at the Paris Olympics last year, has added his voice to the criticism levelled at the governing body after its shock announcement.
The Irish Sun
14-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘It's a mess' – Billy Dardis accuses IRFU of wanting to ‘push away and quieten down' rugby 7s after DROPPING programme
BILLY DARDIS has spoken of his dismay at the cancelling of the Men's Sevens programme - likening it to the Jamaican bobsleigh team. In his role as vice-chair of the Olympic Federation of Ireland's Athletes Commission, Dardis is trying to get to grips with a whole host of sports with which he is not familiar. 2 The IRFU has dropped the men's rugby 7s programme Credit: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile 2 Billy Dardis has slammed the decision Credit: Ben McShane/Sportsfile But it is his own sport enveloped in the biggest crisis with the IRFU dropping its male Sevens programme. Dardis captained the team on its Olympic debut, when it came 10th in Tokyo but missed out on selection for World And Dardis believes the Ireland team was doomed since the departure of David Nucifora as the IRFU's performance director. Read More on Olympics And Dardis said: 'Sevens is probably the younger brother that they want to push away and quieten down. 'What happened in the last month, it would be like if the 'So it is a bit of a mess. 'I was joking last night that we were like the Jamaican the flash in the pan, came on the scene for four or five years and then it's gone. Most read in Rugby Union 'By all accounts, on Monday the lads are getting told that there is no programme next year.' As it happens, that four-man team - immortalised in the movie Cool Runnings - qualified for four successive Olympics but that will not be on the cards for the Men's Sevens, although the Women's programme will be retained because of its more integral role in the 15-a-side game. Ronan O'Gara bizarrely ends press conference after 23 SECONDS amid La Rochelle's continued poor form Dardis' intervention prompted the IRFU to bring forward its announcement planned for Monday but he said it had not come as a surprise. He said: 'Lads are going looking for jobs right now. It's a bit of a mess. It's devastating. 'It has just been infuriating watching it because ten players retired last year after Paris and not one player was replaced. So they only had 13 or 14 players across the whole squad this year. 'They didn't bring in one so you kind of see the cracks. They weren't putting in the same amount of funding. Coaches and performance staff started to leave. 'I've come to terms with it and I think the lads as well. It's, 'OK I need to find a job for next year' and some of them have.' Dardis believes a podium finish in Paris might have saved the team but said that was not the only measure of success. 'SHORT-SIGHTED' He said: 'You look at Zac Ward kicking on now at Ulster, Andrew Smith at Munster, you could go right across the provinces. 'Hugo Keenan is now playing for the Lions, so lots of good things have come out of it. It's short-sighted by both World Rugby and Irish Rugby. 'It was driven by David Nucifora. It was just after Ireland got hammered by 'We didn't quite realise it at the time, he was the one 'With David Humphreys coming in, I thought he was going to be a big supporter of it. 'But leading into Paris, there were a few cracks. There wasn't a Sevens academy being built over a few years, so you are thinking, 'what's going to happen here?'' IRFU STATEMENT In a statement, the IRFU said the decision to cancel the programme was in part to "ensure long-term financial sustainability ". It read: "The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) today confirmed that following a comprehensive review of its Sevens programmes after the conclusion of the 2024 Olympic cycle, it has made the decision to cease the Men's Sevens programme following the conclusion of the 2024/25 season. "This move is part of a broader strategic effort to ensure long-term financial sustainability and focus on key initiatives outlined in the Union's strategic plan. "This announcement follows the release of the IRFU's financial results last November, which showed an €18 million deficit for the 2023/24 season. "As part of its ongoing efforts to manage this deficit and secure a sustainable financial future , the IRFU has been reviewing all of its programmes to identify areas for optimisation and prioritisation. IRFU High Performance Director, David Humphreys said: 'The financial situation we face is challenging, and it's crucial that we take decisive action to secure the long-term success of Irish Rugby. 'While the decision to end the Men's Sevens programme is a difficult one, it is necessary in order to ensure that our resources are focused on the areas that will have the greatest impact on the future of the game in Ireland. "We are committed to making sure that this transition is handled with the utmost respect for all those who have contributed to the success of the Sevens programme.'
