IRFU GOVERNANCE AND OPERATIONS REVIEW:IT WAS difficult to put a positive spin on Wednesday's announcement that Eric Elwood will take over as Connacht's head coach on only a one-year term.

All coaching and playing staff in the development province have been restricted to single-season contract extensions, pending the release of an IRFU governance and operations review.

The completed review was done in conjunction with Morgan Buckley, managing director of Atlantic Sports Management.

The Connacht Branch sought assistance from the IRFU in this matter, with chief executive Gerry Kelly stating yesterday that the maintenance of four professional squads remained important to the national team’s long-term progress.

“I think there is a general acceptance, if you look at the last IRFU strategic review, that there is a need for four teams and certainly the stated policy of the Irish management is to have at least three players in each position competing, and certainly Declan (Kidney) has embraced that the way he is involving players in squads,” said Kelly.

“So I think the review wants to see Connacht on a sounder footing, rather than being done away with. There is a positive outlook between both parties now,” Kelly said.

Connacht have always been squeezed out of IRFU committee influence by the other provinces – and therefore removed from all major decision-making – but Kelly refuses to let this be a stumbling block in the modern era.

“It is still there,” he conceded, “but I think we have to grow up and move on beyond that. (We) try and exert as much influence as we can, given the current structure.”

A major problem for Connacht is the consistently poor attendance record at their Sportsground stronghold, in contrast to healthy five-figure crowds that the other provinces attract to their home games .

The average Magners League attendance for the 2009-10 season at the Sportsground is 1,900, and this was cushioned by the 2,435 who turned up for the comprehensive defeat to Ulster last September.

Some positive news for the province is the re-signing of Fionn Carr and Ian Keatley, both graduates of the Leinster Academy, on one-year deals, while plans are afoot for building a new 650-seater stand.

“We are certainly looking at increasing our fundraising profile and we have a number of projects in the pipeline,” Kelly explained.

“We have a plan to develop the Sportsground here and we are looking for capital investment for that.

“ here is a widespread Connacht diaspora around the world and we have engaged a number of those.”

Speaking to The Irish Timeslast month, IRFU chief executive Philip Browne addressed the concerns surrounding Connacht's financial situation:

“The bottom line is the gate receipts and attendances. That’s where finance comes form – commercial programmes and attendances.

“Munster are drawing from two cities. Leinster are obviously drawing from the major population centre on the island, Ulster from the second major population centre, so it is difficult.

“The issue is that with professional rugby, ultimately, success is largely depended on having a commercial proposition,” Browne continued.

“Munster have a momentum that has allowed them to do that. Equally, Leinster in the last three years have started to build that critical mass and momentum.

“Ulster always had that, funnily enough. (Ravenhill) was one of the best attended Magners League venues up until now (that) Munster and Leinster have bigger stadiums they are taking that over.

“We need to make sure that what happens in Connacht is the same as any province. You take players out of your Academy system, development players, who either make it or not.”

Browne was asked if Connacht qualified for the Heineken Cup, via the Magners League or by winning the Amlin Challenge Cup, would the funding be increased to allow them be a more competitive club.

“The difficulty for Irish rugby has always been two-fold: limited playing resources and limited financial resources, where you can only do the best you can.

“There is a lot of work going on in Connacht at the moment to see how we can address it and what needs to happen.

“There is no magic wand that is suddenly going to conjure, you know, several million more.”