IRFU bosses have warned they will go out of business if contact sport isn't able to return in the foreseeable future due to Covid-19.
And Union chiefs are braced for the possibility of losing some of Ireland's top players in the fall-out from the pandemic.
The provinces are earmarked for a return to training on July 12 - and to play on August 22/23 at the Aviva Stadium.
But squaring a return with the health authorities' demand for social distancing could scupper those hopes. All depends on the Irish government giving the green light.
"All unions are in difficulty," admitted IRFU CEO Philip Browne.
"I don't think there's a single union that I'm aware of that's not looking at a singular financial impact as a result of this crisis.
"For some it's likely to be greater than others. I'm not privy to the financial details of all - but I do know that for some, including the IRFU, it's potentially existential.
"If contact sport is not going to be in a position to restart, well then it's existential.
"I don't think there's a single union in the world that's not going to have a major financial difficulty."
While some big clubs across Europe - thanks to wealthy benefactors - can weather the current financial storm, others may have to off-load some big name players.
Browne concedes hat he cannot rule out the possibility of the provinces having to take such action..
"It's a possibility, yeah," said Browne. "At the end of the day, we all have to live within our means.
"If that actually means that there are better offers elsewhere that players are likely to take up then, I think, so be it
"I actually think that, outside maybe one or two markets, you're going to see a pretty significant readjustment of the market as a result of all this.
"Even at club level, looking at the UK and France, there are some serious difficulties at club level."
Browne shone a light on how the situation has affected the IRFU's staff.
Over 500 people are employed by the Union - including players, management, advisory, administration and PR staff - across the four provinces.
"We're all operating under the same set of restrictions in the wage deferral scheme," he said.
"There are some who are obviously busy and others who really don't have a heck of a lot to do. It's a really difficult, stressful time for all our employees.
"We're not unique. it's like a lot of other businesses around the country, where we all had plans, we all had a career path - then suddenly all the cards are thrown up in the air and uncertainty is there.
"Uncertainty is the biggest issue. I can't give our employees certainty, the government can't give them certainty.
"What we can do is try to make sure that we keep people informed. We have to be honest and up front and by and large our staff appreciate that.
"Nonetheless they're all worried - some are more concerned than others in terms of young families and things like that.
"It's no different to any other business, we just need to be conscious of that".
