Irish quintet secure Barbarians invite

Brian O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy will get a chance to reproduce their highly effective centre pairing on a global stage when they line out for the Barbarians in next month's tour of Britain. The three-match programme will take in Scotland (Murrayfield, May 22nd), Wales (Ashton gate, May 26th) and England (Twickenham, May 30th).

They are two of five Irish players invited to turn out for the prestigious rugby club. Malcolm O'Kelly, David Humphreys and Gordon Murphy will join them.

O'Driscoll played for the Baa-Baa's in December 2000 against South Africa, scoring a try, at the Millennium Stadium. O'Kelly and Peter Clohessy also came off the bench that evening in a 41-31 defeat by the Springboks.

"I'm looking forward to it," said the Irish captain. "You always meet good people and it's a fantastic opportunity to play with some of the world's top players, something you would otherwise never get the chance to do."

It certainly is a world-class gathering as the Irish quintet are joined by France's Thomas Castaignede, former South Africa captains Corne Krige and Bobby Skinstad, and Australian internationals Joe Roff and Matt Burke.

Coach Bob Dwyer is expected to use the Irish players in the first and final Tests. Seventeen players have been confirmed thus far. Several - like Taine Randall and Percy Montgomery - no longer play at international level.

Meanwhile, the Celtic League champions are set to play the winners of the English Zurich Premiership in a pre-season match this August. Discussions are at an advanced stage between the two organisations, with the main stumbling block being the setting of a date suitable to both sides.

"We tried to get it played last year but couldn't do it due to availability," explained Celtic League tournament director Keith Grainger. "The appetite is there for it, so we hope to have it organised in the next week or two. We would be looking at the back end of August as the potential date for this year."

The English champions already play a pre-season match against the French champions and are anxious to do likewise with their Celtic counterparts. It will take place in England with the 2005 encounter to be in the country of the Celtic League champions.

One side from Llanelli, Ulster or Gwent Dragons will face opposition, most likely, from either Bath or Wasps, although Gloucester and Northampton can still win the Zurich Premiership via the play-offs.

Elsewhere, the Leicester Tigers will name their new director of rugby at midday today. Declan Kidney has been mentioned in relation to the post but recently Australian international Pat Howard has been tipped to succeed Dean Richards.

Howard was a former backs coach at Leicester before returning to Super 12 rugby with the ACT Brumbies. He is currently player-coach of Montferrand, the French club that will contest the Parker Pen Challenge Cup final with Harlequins on Saturday, May 22nd, at the Madejski Stadium, Reading.

Ex-Connacht coach Steph Nel has resigned as manager of English Premiership bottom side Rotherham. The club were uncompetitive during the whole campaign and have been consigned to relegation for some time.

BARBARIANS SQUAD - Forwards: Leonard (England and Harlequins), Quinnell (Wales and Llanelli Scarlets), Randell (NZ and Saracens), Krige (SA and Stormers), Finegan (Australia and ACT Brumbies), O'Kelly (Ireland and Leinster), Skinstad (SA and Newport Gwent Dragons). Backs: O'Driscoll (Ireland and Leinster), Roff (Australia and ACT Brumbies), D'Arcy (Ireland and Leinster), Castaignède (France and Saracens), Montgomery (SA and Newport Gwent Dragons), Humphreys (Ireland and Ulster), Latham (Australia and Queensland Reds), Burke (Australia and NSW Waratahs), Murphy (Ireland and Leicester Tigers), Grey (Australia and NSW Waratahs).