FOLLOWING recent negotiations, the IRFU has agreed that Ireland will play an international against Italy at Lansdowne Road next January 4th. This means that Ireland will play two matches prior to the International Championship next season.

A tour by Australia to Ireland had already been scheduled and the itinerary has now been finalised. The tour will embrace six matches. The Australians will play all four provinces, Ireland A and the international at Lansdowne Road on November 30th.

The match against Italy will be a return fixture for the game in Treviso last May. The United States also sought a match next year against Ireland in Dublin, but their visit is now very likely to take place the following season.

Italy's only previous visit to Ireland took place in 1988 when they played three matches, including an international in Dublin. Ireland won 31-15, and caps were awarded for the fixture. But Italy came out on top, 22-12, when the countries last met in Treviso while early last month the Italians scored a very comprehensive win over what was almost a full-strength Scotland side.

While the Ireland management is prepared to wait until tomorrow if necessary before a decision is taken on the fitness of Simon Geoghegan to play against France in Paris on Saturday - he is under intensive treatment for a hamstring strain - the situation could be determined today. The indications were not promising yesterday.

The Ireland team will assemble" in Dublin tonight when Geoghegan is due to travel from London to join his colleagues. It is unlikely, however, that he will make the trip unless he feels he has a good chance of being fit.

If Geoghegan is ruled out, his place will be taken by Richard Wallace. But even if Geoghegan does travel to France in the expectation of playing, then Wallace will also make the journey as cover.

Ireland manager Pat Whelan confirmed these developments yesterday. "I expect to be in contact with Simon Geoghegan before he is due to travel to Dublin," he said. "Obviously if he feels he has a chance of playing, he will join us - if not, then there would be no point."

Whelan said that it was not a question of the player undergoing a fitness test as such tonight if he did travel. In that event any decision on his fitness would not be made until tomorrow before the flight to Paris.