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30th November 2020
01:02pm GMT

"I don't foresee that, at all. The thing that we've had to do, like any responsible business would do, is look at the feasibility of where we're going to be, financially, and it's a really hard thing to predict in these times of massive uncertainty." "I don't believe that [job losses] are a risk, at all, at this point in time," he added, before saying that the union was trying to get a handle on the current financial upheavals over the next 12 to 18 months before offering long-term contracts to players.[caption id="attachment_214904" align="aligncenter" width="2048"]
CJ Stander is one of the Ireland Test stars out of contract next summer. (Credit: Sportsfile)[/caption]
If certain players do not get suitable contract offers, it is reasonable to suggest that they could move abroad to continue their playing careers. However, Nucifora insists the union will not move away from their policy of favouring Irish-based players for Test selection.
"No, we've got no intention of doing that at the moment. "The position we're in, at the moment, is the position we've been in all along. If players choose not to play their rugby in Ireland, it's unlikely that we would select them. There's no hard and fast rule about that; we've never had one; but our attitude towards that won't change. We'll be selecting (from) the players that stay here and play for our provinces."Some players, then, may be faced with the tough decision of choosing the best contract on offer to them but possibly risking a move abroad that would stall or end their Test ambitions. Uncertain times ahead for many Irish players, and all involved with the union. WATCH HOUSE OF RUGBY IRELAND HERE:
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