Ford's Irish role in doubt

Mike Ford's position as defensive coach to the Ireland team remains unclear following renewed speculation he is looking to take up a full-time position at English Premiership club Saracens. Ford is ensconced in the Vale of Glamorgan base of the Lions, with whom he will travel to New Zealand next month, and was unavailable for comment.

The IRFU, to whom Ford is contracted until after the 2007 World Cup, have not received anything in writing, but they have been made aware verbally that the former British rugby league international scrumhalf is trying to find a proper way out of his contract.

That contract with the IRFU allows for him to take up other work that doesn't interfere with those commitments, and he did that by agreeing to take up a part-time position with Saracens as defensive coach, a role he fulfilled this season.

The English club replaced Australian Rod Kafer as coach with Steve Diamond during the present campaign, and the latter is a good friend of Ford. It was a change that proved successful for the club.

It is believed Diamond, who transformed the club's season, wants Ford on board in a full-time capacity as his assistant. The official line emanating from Saracens was non-committal, with a spokesman suggesting: "As things stand at the moment, Mike Ford will act in the same capacity next season as he did for the one just gone by."

The ball is very much in Ford's court, and until he signals his intentions in writing to the IRFU then nothing is likely to change. He has done an excellent job with Ireland but has never made any secret of his ambition to one day coach a team rather than just be limited to the defensive responsibilities.

His current preoccupation is with the Lions, where he will enjoy the responsibility of looking after the defensive patterns of the midweek team.

Meanwhile, the 26-man Ireland squad for the Under-21 World Cup in Argentina next month will be announced this Friday. Mark McDermott's charges face a very difficult assignment in emulating last year's achievement when they reached the final, only to be beaten by New Zealand, which was a fantastic achievement.

The squad will play a couple of warm-up matches before leaving for Argentina on June 4th, the same day their senior counterparts head for Japan.

Simon Best has been named as the Ulster captain for next season. Best (27), was named on Monday in Ireland's 26-man touring squad to Japan.