ACCORDING REPORTS today 40-plus professional contracts are to be handed to out to members of the Irish Women's Rugby 15s and Sevens squads. Only Sevens players had been received the news previously.
The move is expected to be announced by the IRFU report the Irish Times on Thursday.
This comes a couple of weeks before Greg McWilliams Ireland side travel to Japan for a two Test tour of Japan
Ireland's 15's sides were the only team that play in the Six Nations that had not switched to pro terms and with the news today, they join the likes of Wales, France, England Scotland and Italy with the move.
The Times report that the highest terms for a 15's player will around €30,000 expected to be at the higher end of the scale.
The senior players in the Sevens squad currently earn €18,000 annually.
The IRFU is set to confirm 40-plus professional contracts for members of the Ireland women’s 15s and Sevens national squads (via @IrishTimesSport) https://t.co/5tB4zkphK0 — Irish Times Sport (@IrishTimesSport) July 28, 2022
The Irish players in question have not been made aware of any of the details offered to each other, but this is expected to change in the coming weeks
The positive news for the women's rugby game in Ireland comes after 30 recommendations of an independent review were made in March after Ireland failed to qualify for Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2021.
IRFU CEO Kevin Potts said: “This independent review was commissioned to identify reasons for failure to qualify for the Rugby World Cup, areas for improvement and to inform meaningful action.
“We accept the recommendations in full; we are already acting upon them, many are already in place, and we believe that the implementation of the recommendations will form the basis of genuine long-term progress at the top end of our women’s game."
The official announcement will take place before Ireland’s two Test tour to Japan next month (August 20th and 27th)
