Irish to tour as Six Nations date row continues

An already bleak scenario was made even bleaker yesterday by a further hardening of attitudes in the Six Nations committee versus English clubs/union saga. Ireland, meanwhile, are pressing ahead with plans for a two or three-game tour of South Africa later this month, which is likely to be ratified today.

The Six Nations committee issued a statement reaffirming the provisional dates they had set aside for Ireland's three rearranged games in late April and early May. On foot of this - so to speak - Twickenham reasserted they would not be rearranging their Premiership play-offs scheduled for those same dates, on the grounds that the foot-and-mouth epidemic would prevent the internationals going ahead anyway.

Confirming that Ireland's games away to Wales, at home to England and away to Scotland had been pencilled in for April 29th, May 5th and May 12th respectively, the Six Nations committee admitted it did so "on the assumption that the conditions set by the Irish Government concerning a cessation of (foot-and-mouth) outbreaks are met".

This is quite an assumption, for even the British Ministry of Agriculture has admitted that estimating the end of the epidemic is near impossible. Britain's chief veterinary surgeon, Jim Scudamore conceded: "Once we reach a peak, we can begin to estimate how long it will take to go down, how long the tail will be, but it could be a very long tail."

In response, English RFU chief executive Francis Baron said that due to "the increasing uncertainty surrounding the foot-and-mouth problem, we strongly believe that the (Six Nations) games should be rescheduled to the end of May. We believe it is essential that a sufficient period of time is allowed for this problem to be contained. In these circumstance, it would be wrong for us to rearrange the Zurich Championship play-offs."

The English union are being somewhat disingenuous for their primary concern is to avoid another row with the English club owners. For starters, there's no guarantee that shifting the postponed championship games to late May will necessarily comply with the Irish Government's stated policy that there must be a 30-day window after the last confirmed case of foot-and-mouth before such matches take place.

The Six Nations committee statement to some extent rapped Twickenham on the knuckles for suggesting the European Cup final was being put back from May 19th to make way for the Ireland-England game on that date.

The Six Nations committee's preferred option is, unquestionably, to complete the Championship. "We would prefer to have neutral venues rather than move the matches back to next autumn," said Six Nations chief executive Roger Pickering. "Completing the championship next season would be a last resort."

However, he did confirm the committee would have another telephone conference on Tuesday about the situation.

Domestically, off-pitch activities continue apace. The IRFU and representatives of the Division One clubs met last night to discuss contingency plans for completing the current campaign by the end of the season and to view options for next season. This morning the IRFU meet with the Department of Agriculture to hopefully obtain provisional approval for a return to schools rugby early next week and the resumption of the AIB League on Saturday week. The IRFU committee meets this afternoon.

Though the proposed tour to South Africa may not ultimately be a warm-up for any deferred championship games, it is still expected to be ratified, with a 27 or 30-man squad to depart on Monday, March 26th for a two or three-game tour, beginning on March 31st and ending on April 7th.

The indications are that some, if not all, of the overseas-based players will be available, such as Keith Wood and Rob Henderson to begin with.

Though Ireland probably won't play any of their rearranged championship games before the end of the season due to the foot-and-mouth epidemic, there is a prevailing sense of obligation to give their Lions' hopefuls some meaningful matches. In turn, the Lions' selectors have confirmed they will send a selector to South Africa to watch them.

In the interim, a 30-man Irish squad has been named for another get-together on Monday and Tuesday at Greystones RFC. Emmet Byrne, Rob Henderson, Shane Horgan, Geordan Murphy and Anthony Horgan were not considered due to injury, nor was Kevin Maggs on account of club commitments.

Further afield, the French Agriculture Minister Jean Glavany has confirmed that the France-Wales game will definitely go ahead in Paris on Saturday, with the expected 7,000 travelling supporters to be subject to by now customary safety procedures. French coach Bernard Laporte has dropped outhalf Christophe Lamaison, replacing him with the six-times capped but limited Gerald Merceron of Montferrand.

The only Irish side that will get to play rugby this weekend is the Ireland Youth (under-18) side, who travel to Milan today to take on their Italian counterparts. Coach Gerald McArter admits preparations for Saturday's game have been disrupted (a warm-up game in Barnhall last weekend was cancelled) and that he knows little about the opposition, who won the corresponding match last year by 2318 in Highfield.

All bar one of the side are newcomers to international rugby and the match itself is preparation for the Four Nations Tournament scheduled for next month in Wales. Tighthead prop John Porter, who came on as a replacement in last season's encounter, has recovered from a knee injury to claim his place in the current squad. Also included in the panel are twins, Austin (centre) and Andrew Finn (out-half), who play with Cork Constitution.

Ireland squad training will take place at Greystones RFC on Monday and Tuesday next, March 19th and 20th. As of now, the training is closed, in accordance with the recommendations of the Department of Agriculture.