Writing in the Irish Times, former Ireland and Munster star Alan Quinlan offers his stake on the Irish Rugby Football Union's controversial overseas player policy.
"Every foreign player who comes to play professional rugby in Ireland has a different kind of story to tell and just as they’re not all Clinton Hupperts, they’re not all Rocky Elsoms either. If the IRFU’s new policy with regard to foreign players guarantees one thing, it’s that the provinces will have to get the process of finding new recruits from overseas down to a fine art over the coming years. They will have no other choice.
"I have to say, I think some of the outrage there’s been since it was announced just before Christmas has been a bit over the top. If you sit down and go through it, there are some very good ideas in the new policy.
"It makes sense from a national point of view. The objective of aiming to have two Irish-qualified players for every position is a worthwhile one and I suppose the IRFU can argue that since it’s not coming in until the end of next season, the provinces have time to think ahead and work out how they’re going to deal with it. It definitely needs tweaking in a couple of areas but overall there’s a lot of merit to it."
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