IRFU announces return of 'A' Interprovincial Championship

The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has announced the return of the ‘A’ Interprovincial Men’s Championship, which will kick off next month.

The times and dates of the opening three rounds of the Championship before Christmas have been confirmed, with a similar points-scoring system as used in the URC.

A Championship winner will be declared after the final round of matches in May and the IRFU will be commissioning a legacy trophy to mark the 150th anniversary celebrations.

IRFU performance director, David Humphreys, said: “We’re delighted to kick-start the Men’s interprovincial Championship which will provide a host of players with a further means of developing in a meaningful competition.

"With the success of the Emerging Ireland tours, coupled with the return of an ‘A’ international against England next year, it is vital that we continue to provide players at provincial and Club levels with opportunities to impress outside of the traditional URC and EPCR fixture windows.

“Discussions have been ongoing for some time to provide players with meaningful games and all four provinces are unanimously supportive of this competition.

"It is also great to see provinces taking matches around their local Clubs. It is anticipated that as the competition progresses over the coming seasons these fixtures won’t clash with Energia All-Ireland League fixtures for the most part, thus potentially also offering players from the Club game with an opportunity to impress.

"This competition will form another important part of the representative pathway from Energia AIL to URC levels for Academy players upwards over the coming seasons.”

The dates for the post-Christmas fixtures will be confirmed in due course.