Munster have confirmed that Denis Hurley, BJ Botha, Cathal Sheridan, Gerhard van den Heever and Shane Buckley are departing the province this season.
Shan will be pleased.
Wonder is that the end of the line for BJ who ruptured his ACL in the SDC? 111 appearances as a Turnip after 58 as an Ulsterman to go with 81 for Sharks & 25 caps for the Boks is a fair innings, not too far short of 300 pro games.
Fair play BJ, good luck for the future.
Yes indeed Baggy. Nice to see some good news in Munster. Delighted that utter waste of space is gone. Comfortably the worst pro player on the island over the last 2 years.
Agree on Botha. Overall he has had a career he can be proud of.
Sheridan a bit unlucky. Thought he was going to come through at one stage. Buckley probably surplus to requirements no matter how promising he was / is.
It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.
Munster Rugby announce forecasted deficit of €1.9 million 71% of Munster’s tickets sales now come from outside the Limerick area. Munster CEO Garrett Fitzgerald has admitted the financial situation is a concern.Ipho
MUNSTER RUGBY ANNOUNCED a forecasted deficit of €1.9 million for the year ending 30 June 2016 at their Annual General Meeting in Limerick yesterday.
Although slightly less that the previously forecasted €2.2m, the deficit leaves Munster in a dire financial situation that means the IRFU will be required to step in and bail the province out as they look to rebound under new director of rugby Rassie Erasmus next season.
It is expected that the IRFU will cover the vast majority of the deficit with a major cash injection.
By way of comparison, Munster returned a €333,000 deficity for the financial year ending in June 2015.
Speaking at the Munster Branch’s AGM in Young Munster RFC last night, the province’s financial controller Philip Quinn stated that reduced gate income and rising player costs were the main causes for the alarming forecasted deficit.
Quinn pointed to “economic factors and the geographic spread” as having played a major role, as well as highlighting that there had been a large number of unsuitable kick-off times for Munster games this season.
Surprisingly, it was revealed that 71% of Munster’s tickets sales come from outside the Limerick area, meaning the province is now reliant on much of their support base travelling some distance to Thomond Park.
More positively, Quinn reported that sponsorship was up by close to €400,000 and that the work of Munster’s commercial board has also resulted in the generation of €800,000 in this financial year.
Nonetheless, the forecasted deficit of almost €2m is of grave concern.
“We had a significant reduction in our gate income, some of which was down to the impact of the Rugby World Cup in addition to unfavourable kick-off times for certain high-profile games in Thomond Park such as Glasgow, Ulster and Leicester,” Quinn told munsterrugby.ie.
“Combined with the on-field performance, this resulted in a significant drop compared to previous seasons. Player costs continue to rise due to competition from overseas and in line with market demand.
“Supporters are at the forefront of our plans for the coming season with newly adapted ticket structures providing kids-go-free incentives and the ability to transfer unused tickets which will be of significant benefit to those unable to make unsuitable kick-off times.
“We also look forward to welcoming the Māori All Blacks to Thomond Park in November and I’ve no doubt it will be a huge occasion for the province with hospitality already close to selling out and strong ticket sales thus far.”
Quinn also promised that Munster can remain competitive in the field of recruitment as they look to return to former glories.
“We continue to be competitive on this front, as illustrated by the retention of the likes of Keith Earls, Conor Murray, CJ Stander and Simon Zebo earlier this season,” said Quinn.
“No different to previous years, our budgets allow for the recruitment of suitable overseas candidates and this will not change.”
Last night’s AGM saw Gerry O’Shea of Young Munster RFC elected president of the Munster Branch.
................... a little / lot more Devil in the detail in the Indo report at the btm.
Mac wrote: Munster Rugby announce forecasted deficit of €1.9 million 71% of Munster’s tickets sales now come from outside the Limerick area. Munster CEO Garrett Fitzgerald has admitted the financial situation is a concern.Ipho
MUNSTER RUGBY ANNOUNCED a forecasted deficit of €1.9 million for the year ending 30 June 2016 at their Annual General Meeting in Limerick yesterday.
Although slightly less that the previously forecasted €2.2m, the deficit leaves Munster in a dire financial situation that means the IRFU will be required to step in and bail the province out as they look to rebound under new director of rugby Rassie Erasmus next season.
It is expected that the IRFU will cover the vast majority of the deficit with a major cash injection.
By way of comparison, Munster returned a €333,000 deficity for the financial year ending in June 2015.
Speaking at the Munster Branch’s AGM in Young Munster RFC last night, the province’s financial controller Philip Quinn stated that reduced gate income and rising player costs were the main causes for the alarming forecasted deficit.
Quinn pointed to “economic factors and the geographic spread” as having played a major role, as well as highlighting that there had been a large number of unsuitable kick-off times for Munster games this season.
Surprisingly, it was revealed that 71% of Munster’s tickets sales come from outside the Limerick area, meaning the province is now reliant on much of their support base travelling some distance to Thomond Park.
More positively, Quinn reported that sponsorship was up by close to €400,000 and that the work of Munster’s commercial board has also resulted in the generation of €800,000 in this financial year.
Nonetheless, the forecasted deficit of almost €2m is of grave concern.
“We had a significant reduction in our gate income, some of which was down to the impact of the Rugby World Cup in addition to unfavourable kick-off times for certain high-profile games in Thomond Park such as Glasgow, Ulster and Leicester,” Quinn told munsterrugby.ie.
“Combined with the on-field performance, this resulted in a significant drop compared to previous seasons. Player costs continue to rise due to competition from overseas and in line with market demand.
“Supporters are at the forefront of our plans for the coming season with newly adapted ticket structures providing kids-go-free incentives and the ability to transfer unused tickets which will be of significant benefit to those unable to make unsuitable kick-off times.
“We also look forward to welcoming the Māori All Blacks to Thomond Park in November and I’ve no doubt it will be a huge occasion for the province with hospitality already close to selling out and strong ticket sales thus far.”
Quinn also promised that Munster can remain competitive in the field of recruitment as they look to return to former glories.
“We continue to be competitive on this front, as illustrated by the retention of the likes of Keith Earls, Conor Murray, CJ Stander and Simon Zebo earlier this season,” said Quinn.
“No different to previous years, our budgets allow for the recruitment of suitable overseas candidates and this will not change.”
Last night’s AGM saw Gerry O’Shea of Young Munster RFC elected president of the Munster Branch.
IRFU increase Munster's annual grant by more than €1m to ease financial woes
In light of their financial difficulties, the IRFU have allocated Munster Rugby an additional €1.1m to their annual grant and suspended this year’s loan repayment from the remodelling of Thomond Park.
At last night’s Munster Branch AGM, the province predicted a cash-flow deficit of €1.9m for the financial year ending on June 30. Dwindling attendances at Thomond Park during a difficult season on the pitch has been cited as one of the main reasons for Munster’s current situation.
Furthermore, they still have a loan of €10m with the IRFU from the revamping of the Limerick ground, though as mentioned, the latter organisation have decided to offer Munster a holiday from the annual repayment which comes to €200k. Instead, only the loan’s interest will be repaid.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Munster’s financial controller Philip Quinn explained the nature of the new arrangement.
“We’ve made no capital repayment to the IRFU this year and our interest has been a five-figure sum. Because of our current situation we’re working with the Union. They came to us and said we’ll deal with that as part of the long-term plan.
“We’re able to meet all of our third-party commitments and that’s the key thing for us. Any bills that come in from third parties, we can pay them. What we need to do is work with the IRFU over what we owe them.
“We were due to pay €200,000 this year but the IRFU haven’t asked us for that money. They asked us for the interest but we’re talking €50-60,000 interest, which is the deposit rate that they’d be getting on the €10 million.”
As stated, the loss of gate receipts at Thomond Park, particularly in comparison to when the province were at the peak of the powers in the last decade, have taken a toll. However, Quinn said that their Cork stadium, Musgrave Park, was yielding revenue.
“With the additional events such as concerts and the Nitro Circus coming up, we’re doing well on our ticket sales for the matches. And it’s the same in Thomond Park, we’re making revenue out of it. There’s a small cash-flow deficit in Thomond but we’re talking small numbers on it.
“What’s crippling Munster is that our gate income has dropped significantly. Our player costs have gone up but the IRFU have given us additional grant income to offset that increase, although they haven’t covered it in full.”
Once more I caution against thinking that Ulster are in a completely different ballpark. UR do not have the debts but equally the very kitchen sink is mortgaged and a wee bird tells me that a loss is forecast in the next 2 seasons, despite strong attendance figures with an average season's crowd just over 15000.
We need to cut the mustard next season, no trophy and the crowds like those in Mexico & Turnipstan will vanish like snow off a ditch.
NEVER MOVE ON. Years on, I cannot ever watch Ireland with anything but indifference, I continue to wish for the imminent death of Donal Spring, the FIRFUC's executioner of Wee Paddy & Wee Stu, and I hate the FIRFUCs with undiminished passion.
