Munster owe the IRFU a lot of money. A LOT of money

A lot.

The Irish Rugby Football Union is holding its Annual Council Meeting, this evening, and we are being treated to a stream of press releases. While there has been increased funding to the domestic game, a warning about spiralling player wages and Stephen Hilditch of Grosvenor RFC is the new IRFU president, a brief few lines on the financial ails of the Munster branch stands out like a sore thumb. While each province have their own revenue streams, much of their funding comes by way of the IRFU. The national team generates the bulk of the unions money [€61.7m out of €71m brought in last season] and it then spreads it out throughout various channels, including the provinces, across the country. Munster have benefited from their usual funding from the IRFU but have needed loans to deal with spiralling costs for facilities, grounds, players and management. Each province will get €250,000 in additional funding next season. That will not be enough to stem the flow at the Munster Branch, which is said to owe the union €9.4m. That figure is down from the €10m figure that was reported as outstanding in early June. A statement from the IRFU reads, in part:

'The increase of almost €6m in player and management costs arises, in large part, from the necessity to provide against operational amounts due from the Munster Branch, in light of their current financial difficulties, together with the aforementioned additional funding for all four provinces and various other items.'

SportsJOE has contacted Munster Rugby for its take on the current situation. As of yet, a response has not been forthcoming. Ulster Rugby, meanwhile, have fully repaid the union for the loan they got to revamp Ravenhill. Giving up naming rights - it is now called Kingspan Stadium - helped a lot in this regard. Munster's Musgrave Park is now Irish Independent Park. Thomond Park may have to follow suit, if a sizeable sponsor can be located.