| <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>TheIrish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) and the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU)have joined forces to create a new development competition –The Celtic Cup – for the emerging professional players fromthe four Irish provinces and four Welshregions.</span></span></span></span> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>Thecompetition which features development squads from Connacht,Leinster, Munster, Ulster, Blues, Dragons, Scarlets and the Ospreysaims to provide a learning environment for players, coaches andreferees by re-creating the week to week challenges presented bysenior professional rugby.</span></span></span></span> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'><span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'>Thecompetition will run over seven consecutive weeks commencing on theweekend of the 7-8</span></span></span><span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'>th</span></span></span> <span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'>September.</span></span></span> <span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'>Teams will have to prepare for a differentopposition each week, manage their physical preparation andrecovery and analyse their performances as they grow as individualsandcollectively.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><b style='outline:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>CompetitionFormat</span></span></b></span></span> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>Theeight teams will be divided into two conferences of four Welshregions and four Irish provinces. Each Irish province will playeach of the Welsh regions and will play against two Irishprovinces. Similarly the Welsh regions will play each ofthe Irish provinces and will play two of their Welshcounterparts. The top ranked Province from the Irishconference will play the top ranked Region from the Welshconference in the inaugural final (venuetbc).</span></span></span></span> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'><span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'>DavidNucifora, IRFU Performance Director,commented,</span></span></span> <i style='outline:none'>"The CelticCup will bring significant value to the development of our emergingprofessional players<span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>,</span></span></span></span><span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>refereesand coaches and support staff. It will challenge them toperform and manage themselves within a professional competitionstructure throughout a week to week campaign similar to theGuinness Pro14. </span></span></span></span></i></span></span></span></span> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><i style='outline:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>TheCeltic Cup is also a fantastic vehicle for the development of our<span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'><span style='text-decoration:inherit'>nexttier of</span></span></span></span> coaches who will have to takethe learnings from games each week to drive performance across thecompetition.</span></span></i></span></span> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><i style='outline:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>The IRFUare cognisant of the important role that our domestic clubcompetitions play in the development of youngplayers. The scheduling of the Celtic Cup is intended tobe complimentary to the club game and create a supportive seasonstructure into the future."</span></span></i></span></span> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'><span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'>WRU Head ofRugby Performance</span></span></span> <span style='font-size:inherit'><span style='font-weight:inherit'><span style='line-height:inherit'>Geraint John added,</span></span></span><i style='outline:none'>"We are excited about this new developmentfor the performance pathway inWales.</i></span></span></span></span> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><i style='outline:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>"TheCeltic Cup will help develop players into senior professionalswhile also promoting and improving Welsh coaches and otherperformance staff such as strength and conditioning coaches,analysts and referees.</span></span></i></span></span> <span style='font-size:12pt'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><i style='outline:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><span style='color:black'>"Theblock programme of matches will greatly help all involved to buildweek to week in a professional environment and competitionstructure, helping to underpin the development of future regionaland international players."</span></span></i></span></span> |
