:: Dungannon Rugby Club :: by stagetimes.com

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

IRFU Announces New AIL Structures

Extracts from the IRFU announcement on the restructuring of the All Ireland League to be implemented for the start of the 2011/12 season.

An increase in the number of senior clubs from 48 to 52

Rolling substitutions to be introduced on a trial basis

The structures to remain in place until the 2016/17 season to provide stability to All-Ireland League

A Division One consisting of two sections of 10 teams each playing home and away (known as 1A & 1B). Promotion and relegation between 1A and 1B would be one automatic and one decided by play-off

A Division Two consisting of two sections (to be referred to as 2A & 2B) of 16 teams each playing 15 games. Promotion and relegation between 2A and 2B would be two automatic and one by play-off

Promotion and relegation between Division 1B and 2A would be automatic two up and two down

The present Qualifying League structure (Provincial Junior League winners' round robin competition) would be maintained, including the promotion and relegation system to 2B

The team which finishes top of their respective division will be deemed to be the divisional League champions, and the winners of Division 1A will be deemed the All-Ireland League champions. (Consideration may be given to play-offs in Division 1A to be included in the future)

As part of this new structure the number of senior clubs has been increased by four from 48 to 52. This will mean that each of the provincial champions from next season (2010-11) will automatically gain senior club status.

An emphasis for the new structure will also be a move towards playing more Friday night games to ensure that in as much as is possible, the All-Ireland League season does not come into direct competition with the provincial games by utilising the flexibility of clubs with floodlighting facilities.

The qualifications process for the new league structure at the end of the 2010/11 season will include promotion and relegation in the following order:

- Top two clubs in Division 1B promoted to Division 1A (to give a ten-team league)
- Play-off between bottom club in Division 1A and 3rd team in Division 1B
- Top four clubs in Division 2 promoted to Division 1B (to give a ten-team league)
- Play-off between bottom club in Division 1B and 5th team in Division 2
- Top four clubs in Division 3 promoted to new Division 2A
- Play-off between bottom club in Division 2 and 5th team in Division 3
- There will be no relegation from Division 3
- The four provincial Qualifying League winners promoted to the 'new' Division 2B

The issue of fully-contracted players participating in the league has also been addressed to create a more level playing field for clubs participating and to ensure that the league continues to develop young players in a competitive environment.

The new regulations will see:
- Contracted players only playing in Division 1, with a reduction from three to two in the number of fully-contracted players who may be included in the match day squads, of which only one can be a forward
- Fully-contracted foreign players cannot play in the league
- Contracted development and Academy players will have the ability to play in all divisions of the league without any restrictions

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