Caolán Scully

because the player progression model at Scotland isn't at its best.

Again, there's economic reasons for that more so than there would be for Ireland.

Excuse me.

So, yeah, I think it's... Depending on what way you want to look at it, it's either in a very healthy or very unhealthy position.

Ultimately, Ireland is still very reliant on schools.

There is still a reliance on players who were produced abroad.

But at the same time, Ireland is still producing...

something close to about 90% of players internally.

And for Munster and Ulster in particular, because Leinster produced the vast majority of players, they're still producing about 70% of their players within the region, which if you went to a club in France, that would not be the case.

So there's absolutely pros and cons in both sides of it.

I think as a TV product it's doing quite well.

I'm not privy to TV numbers or things like that exactly, but I think as a product it's doing well because ultimately the URC has had one of its most competitive leagues.

league seasons ever in terms of the regular season and I think there's a buy-in I think there's an acceptance among the hardcore rugby fans that the four provinces will be battling for playoffs most years maybe not every year but most years that Glasgow will every year that Edinburgh will probably every second or third likewise Benetton there'll always be a Welsh team and there'll be probably three South African teams battling for it which is pretty good return in fairness considering where the league was before

And I think there is a very much now, we're about to close the door on five years of URC action since it got pushed and expanded and enhanced.

And I think it's in a much better position.

I think the days of the old Pro 12, Pro 14 are long behind us.

And, you know, look, that league served a purpose.

I think it absolutely served a purpose.

I think it helped Leinster to their European success in 2018, for example.

I think it helped Leinster even just bridge the gap between a 2018 squad and what we'd know then as the 2023 team that looked like they would conquer all around them, but didn't in the end.