THE IRFU are set to have a fresh look at their central contract system with Leinster gaining more and more dominance, according to reports.
Leo Cullen’s side are setting an increasing gap between themselves and the other provinces year after year.
Despite Munster getting the better of them in the URC last season, Leinster still hold dominance over Irish rugby.
The stronghold they have was demonstrated yesterday when Leinster announced the shock signing of New Zealand star Jordie Barrett.
Barrett joins the Blues in December on a short-term deal and he is just the latest of Leinster’s big guns.
RG Snyman is making the switch to Leinster from Munster at the end of this season in yet another big name signing.
The province also secured former Munster star Tyler Bleyendaal as an attack coach for next season.
The IRFU’s central contract system is a huge help in Leinster’s acquirements of these top stars since Leo Cullen manages a side of huge Irish talent.
According to Gerry Thornley of The Irish Times, Jamison Gibson-Park is set to be offered a central contract at the end of this season.
This would make the scrum-half the TENTH current Leinster star to have their wages paid by the IRFU – with Dan Sheehan earning one just this week.
To put this into perspective, the other three provinces will only have one player each on a central contract.
Conor Murray and Peter O’Mahony both signed on for another year at Munster recently but will no longer be on the central contract system.
This makes Tadhg Beirne the only Munster man benefiting off the national system.
Bundee Aki remains the only star at Connacht on a central contact and Iain Henderson likewise at Ulster.
Next year, Leinster won’t have to pay the wages of: Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, James Ryan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris, Robbie Henshaw, Garry Ringrose, Hugo Keenan and Gibson-Park.
This obviously creates a lot more space on their books for big name stars like Barrett and Snyman.
Of course, debate naturally occurs when one Irish side benefits on a larger scale than the others but Leinster can just argue that their academies produced the top talents who drive Ireland forward on the international stage.
The current IRFU system was constructed to help the provinces produce established Irish internationals, keep them playing in Ireland and manage their workload when it comes to international matches.
However, Thornley also reported that a review of the system is set to take place by the IRFU over the coming months.
David Humphreys’ arrival as Performance Director may spark a change.