Since the programme was first held in January 2018, five two-and-a-half-day courses and three one-day courses have been hosted at Munster’s High Performance Centre at UL.

The two-and-a-half-day course costs €4,900 (plus VAT) per person, while the one-day course for the leadership of a single team costs €1,250 per person. The costs are paid for by companies which wish to enroll their senior leaders.

Talks are in progress with an American company over some of their leadership team travelling to Limerick to take the course.

While it promises long-term benefits for Munster, Head of Enterprise Enda Lynch says the immediate focus is on covering their costs.

“The revenues are there but we’re a start-up organisation so we’re not about revenues at the moment. We’re not losing money, that’s the most important thing,” he said, after his presentation at the Marketing Institute of Ireland’s February event in UCC.

“Our aim in the first instance is to make sure that this is running within its own means and that it’s not draining on the Munster resources, which need to go into the players.

We’re about making sure we’re contributing positively back to Munster Rugby in all aspects of our business, through network and sponsor opportunities.

The course is aimed at senior leaders and organisations in a rut who want to transform their performance; leaders who have been earmarked for a senior position and need help in that transition; and SME business owners who need to reconfigure their approach to build their business.

Academic underpinning is provided by UL staff, and a keynote speech is delivered by Munster forwards coach Jerry Flannery.

While past participants may cheer big Munster victories in their WhatsApp group, lack of rugby knowledge is no barrier to entry.

“There’s one individual who went on the programme, hadn’t a clue what rugby was, not a clue!

Rugby is not the vernacular of the two-and-a-half-day programme. It’s about the skills we transfer from that into yourself.

“They walked out after two-and-a-half days, they said themselves it was life-changing, reaffirmed a number of areas they were challenged by, and what they can do about it, and they still didn’t know about rugby.”

There are also significant benefits for Munster in interactions with such leaders.

While the province can’t afford the megabucks salaries available abroad, they can offer their players a leg-up in their post-playing careers.

“We’re learning from them and we’re transferring back in, but we’re also creating a network for our players, our academy players, to have conversations with business leaders and to hear from them in the forum of the two-and-a-half-day programme, and outside it.”

It’s the province’s first move into a growing world of sports organisations integrating high-end business partnerships aside from their core product.

Munster have had conversations with Enterprise Ireland and SportsTech Ireland about potential partnerships down the line in the sports-tech industry.

Lynch points to “phenomenal concepts” such as the New York Giants’ partnership with the Hackensack University Medical Center and American clubs’ esports franchises.

“In order to keep up with other clubs and other revenue streams they will have – private benefactors, bigger TV deals in the UK, and whatnot – that allow them to sign players, we have to be nimble and fleet of foot in ways in which we can grow our business.

“That’s what part of my job is… looking at maybe it’s esports or tech or whatever. What are the opportunities there? What [ones] work for us? What [ones] don’t? Meet with industry leaders, because we’re a recognised brand in sport, have a conversation, and that’s how we do it in a low-cost, effective way.

“We’re always willing to trust the strengths of our brand, take it in new directions and see what works.

“We won’t be afraid to trial and pilot and learn.”