Irish rugby has been given a welcome boost by the GovernmentThe Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has received a £16.2m bailout from the Government to help balance its books during the coronavirus pandemic. The money comes from the Irish Government's COVID-19 Emergency Fund for Sport and is issued in the wake of the IRFU reporting a record deficit of £32.2m. IRFU chief executive Phillip Browne has thanked the Irish government for their financial assistance"As outlined to the Oireachtas Covid-19 Committee in recent weeks and confirmed in our recent annual report, Irish Rugby is in a perilous financial position as a result of Covid-19. "We are very grateful for the ongoing support shown to us by Government and Sport Ireland throughout this pandemic, especially with today's vital funding announcement. On the pitch, Ireland missed out on the Six Nations crown after losing 35-27 to France in Paris at the weekend.

Source: Sky sports November 02, 2020 19:07 UTC