IRFU and Connacht Rugby call time on 2019/20 domestic rugby season

The domestic rugby season has been brought to an end by the outbreak of COVID-19, with both the IRFU and Connacht Rugby respectively confirming that the All-Ireland Leagues and the provincial competitions have been deemed as finished.

The IRFU announced last Thursday that Irish Rugby’s 2019/20 domestic season is to conclude with immediate effect due to ongoing concerns over coronavirus.

The directive applies to all incomplete national and provincial competitions, and means that there will be no promotion or relegation in any of the five divisions of the Energia Men’s All-Ireland League.

The planned expansion of the Energia Women’s All-Ireland League for the 2020/21 season remains in place.

There will be no league or cup winners in any competition organised at a national level including the Energia All-Ireland Leagues, Energia Women’s All-Ireland Cup and the Energia Bateman Cup.

“The decision to end the domestic rugby season for 2019/2020 season has not been made lightly. All options were discussed and the IRFU is satisfied it has arrived at the only equitable solution.

“These are challenging times for us all and we know clubs will be impacted by this directive, but we will look back at this season as one where we put the physical welfare of our rugby community above all else,” said IRFU Director of Rugby Development, Colin McEntee said:

The news was not unexpected by Galway’s two AIL clubs, Galwegians and Corinthians, who both ply their trade in Divisioon 2B of the AIL.

Chairman of Galwegians RFC, Frank Kinneen, said that “it’s disappointing of course for many of our teams who were still involved in competition”.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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