| <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>TheIrish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) today outlined its strategicobjectives for the next five years with the launch of its <b style='outline:none'><i style='outline:none'>Strategic Plan2018-2023</i></b>– <i style='outline:none'>Irish Rugby:"Building successtogether"</i>. </span></span></span></span> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><b style='outline:none'><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'><span style='font-size:15.0pt'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:#0b6121'>Headline PerformanceTargets</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span><br><span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><b style='outline:none; text-decoration:inherit'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:#0b6121'>MEN</span></span></b></span></span><span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>Semi-finalsor better at RWC19/RWC23</span></span></span></span><br><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>2or more 6 Nations titles</span></span></span></span><br><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>2or more European titles</span></span></span></span><br><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>2or more PRO14 titles</span></span></span></span><br><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>7squalification for 2020 Olympics</span></span></span></span><br><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>7sattain World Seriesstatus</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br><br> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><b style='outline:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:#0b6121'>WOMEN</span></span></b><br><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>WRWC21qualification & Top 6 finish</span></span></span></span><br><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>One6 Nations title (Top 3 otherwise)</span></span></span></span><br><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>Qualificationfor 2020 Olympics 7s</span></span></span></span><br><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>Qualificationfor 2022 7s World Cup</span></span></span></span><br><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>Wintwo 7s World Series tournaments</span></span></span></span><br><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>ConsistentTop 6 finish 7s World Series</span></span></span></span><br><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>ConsistentTop 2 finish U18 Europe7s</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><b style='outline:none'><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'><span style='font-size:15.0pt'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:#0b6121'>Headline GrowthTargets</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span><span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><b style='outline:none; text-decoration:inherit'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:#0b6121'><span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>OVERALL</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span><span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'><span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>210,000players</span></span></span></span><br><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>1,900adult teams</span></span></span></span><br><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>90%of coaches accredited</span></span></span></span><br><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>95%of games officiated by branch refs</span></span></span></span><br><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>80%of clubs attaining "Green" Health Checkstatus</span></span></span></span><br><span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span></span>60%of Clubs attaining "Green" Spirit Programmestatus</span></span><br><br><b><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:#0b6121'><span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>WOMEN</span></span></span></span></span></span></b><br><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>5,000Adult players</span></span></span></span><br><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>300+Women’s Girls teams</span></span></span></span><br><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>150secondary schools </span></span></span></span><br><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>6,500youth players</span></span></span></span><br><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>1,0003rdlevel players</span></span></span></span><br><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>450female coaches</span></span></span></span><br><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>80femalereferees</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>Theambitious plan centres on three keyareas. </span></span></span></span><span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'><span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'><span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span></span><b style='outline:none'>DeliveringPerformance:</b>Producing winningteams</span></span></span></span></span><br><span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'><span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span></span><b style='outline:none'>Developingthe Game:</b>Delivering a vibrant club and schoolnetwork</span></span></span></span></span><br><span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'><span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='color:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>o </span></span></span></span></span><b style='outline:none'>Womenin Rugby:</b>Building a strong base to grow the women’sgame</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br><br><br> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><b style='outline:none'><span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'><span style='font-size:15.0pt'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:#0b6121'>…on the Strategic Plan2018-2023</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><b style='outline:none'><span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>PhilipBrowne,</span></span></span></span></span></span></b> <span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>IRFUChief Executive commented, "<i style='outline:none'>The increasedprofile of rugby driven by on field success has resulted in anincrease in participation, especially through Age Grade and the useof modified formats. But of course we recognise the manychallenges the game faces and we have sought to address these inthis Strategic Plan as part of our effort to ensure the game, overthe next four years and beyond, will be put on an even strongerfooting for the generations tocome.</i></span></span></span></span> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><i style='outline:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>The gamecontinues to expand at every level and central to this expansion isfunding. Currently, our professional teams, at National andProvincial level, account for 93% of the game’s revenues, ofthis some 80% is generated by the men’s internationalteam.</span></span></i></span></span> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><i style='outline:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>Thisstark statistic is reassuring and concerning in equal measure; theformer as it recognises the phenomenal attraction of our seniorinternational team to television rights holders, sponsors andsupporters alike, while the latter highlights the extremely narrowbase from which every other strand of the game must befunded."</span></span></i></span></span> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><b style='outline:none'><span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'><span style='font-size:14.5pt'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:#0b6121'>…on the Performance Goals outlined in theStrategic Plan2018-2023</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><b style='outline:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>DavidNucifora,</span></span></b> <span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>IRFUPerformance Director commented,</span></span></span></span> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><i style='outline:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>"Thefocus will be to drive alignment across the game and ensure thetalent pathways feed the high performance side of the game with aparticular emphasis on Sevens and the interface between Clubs andSchools and the professionalgame.</span></span></i></span></span> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><i style='outline:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>Keyareas of focus will be further advancement of player managementprogramme, coach education, talent development, investment inresearch and data analytics and the recruitment and retention ofworld leading experts across the range of high performancedisciplines. The delivery of a world class high performance centrewill be a key element in driving the performance goals targetedover the next five years."</span></span></i></span></span><span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><b style='outline:none'><span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'><span style='font-size:14.5pt'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:#0b6121'>…on the Growth Goals outlined in theStrategic Plan2018-2023</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><b style='outline:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>ScottWalker,</span></span></b> <span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>IRFURugby Development Directorcommented,</span></span></span></span> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>"<i style='outline:none'>We recognise that one ofrugby’s principal challenges is to retain Age Grade players;and if such retention can be maximised, the game will grow. Playersof all ages have a clear choice as to whether to participate inrugby or not. The strongest influence on the choice they make willbe the quality of the experience which they have within the gameduring their formative years. If the experience is positive, thenthey are likely to remain within the game; if negative, they willbe lost from it.</i></span></span></span></span> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><i style='outline:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>Therefore, our priorities should be to build a systemwhich provides the best sporting experience for young people inIreland, and which gives them good reason to continue in rugby. Inparallel the IRFU will work to establish competition formats acrossXVs and Sevens which allow more players to transition to adultrugby and beyond. At the same time the IRFU will embark on programof facilities modernisation and development of a network ofartificial pitches."</span></span></i></span></span> |
