THE development of the 90 acre site that the IRFU purchased at Newlands Cross, as well as a possible major refurbishment of the Lansdowne Road ground, are matters that have exercised the minds of the IRFU for quite some time.

The desire to keep the historic Lansdowne Road ground as the headquarters of the game in this country, and the venue for international matches into the next century, is profound. However, it needs to be developed to meet modern requirements. The ideal objective is to explore means by which Lansdowne Road can be developed into an all seater stadium, to hold between 55,000 and 60,000 spectators.

All avenues are being explored and, as part of that process, a four person delegation from the IRFU travelled last week to Kansas City in the US for consultation with the firm of HO and K, experts in stadium lay out, development and land usage.

The delegation was led by Tom Kiernan, chairman of the ground development committee of the IRFU. He was joined by fellow committee member Don Crowley, a structural engineer, and Philip Browne, secretary of the IRFU. They were accompanied by a quantity surveyor.

The firm has been commissioned by the IRFU to do a feasibility study of the Newlands Cross site, on Dublin's outskirts, and the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road. The American concern has been involved in the planning and lay out of some of the biggest and best sporting stadia in the United States and in other places through out the world.