Ireland star calls out Leinster signings after sevens side is axed

He has laid into the IRFU.

Kennedy is considered Ireland's best ever player in the short-format version of rugby, and won the World Rugby Men's Sevens Player of the Year award in 2022, before taking time off after the 2023 Olympics and pursue and full-time role in finance.

The IRFU's high performance director, David Humphreys, sighted a "challenging financial situation" as a a reason for their decision, but Kennedy has refuted these claims, calling out the integrity of Humphries and CEO Kevin Potts.

In his Instagram post, he also pointed out that the IRFU operates at a substantial loss during a World Cup year due to the fact that there are no home November games, and called out the money being spent on short-term contract players.

The most high-profile of these signings being Jordie Barrett at Leinster, and his replacement for next season, Rieko Ioane.

You can read his full Instagram post below: "Absolutely shocking from the IRFU. The way they've handled the whole situation is short of a disgrace. Humphreys and Potts not even having the integrity to announce this properly, instead getting a media person to put up a post, and only because their hand was forced as there was an article to be published separately.

"So disappointed for the current group of players as well as younger players coming through that they won't be afforded the same opportunities and experiences that myself and the lads have, because of the shortsightedness of a couple of old guys running the game here.

"The financial/cost-cutting excuse is complete smoke and mirrors, masquerading the fact that every RWC year Unions run at a major loss due to the lack of November international match revenue. Between funding from World Rugby for being on the World Series, Sport Ireland funding from the Olympic success and sponsorship funding, no other program outside the Men's 15s brings in anywhere near the revenue.

"No mention of the millions paid to bring foreign players over on short-term contracts and the budget to pay for committee members travelling to 6N games and tours with lunches and dinners - far more than the whole 7s budget The disrespect that the IRFU have shown to Sport Ireland and the Irish Olympic Committee after all their years of funding, utterly disgraceful."