PADDY JOHNS, capped 28 times for Ireland as a second row and number eight, could be the next player to join the ever increasing flow of Irish internationals to English clubs.
Johns (28), a dentist, is giving "very serious" consideration to an attractive offer from the Bedford club.
"Bedford have approached me," he confirmed last night. "I have to give the matter very serious consideration and take many things into account. As yet I have not made a definite decision. But I must weigh the fact that the position in international rugby now is that it is becoming increasingly more difficult to balance a career with playing the game at top level.
"This is a very important element I must consider and a very important decision for me to make. There is a strong case for maybe taking a career break.
"Rugby at the top level is no longer a hobby. I want to win my place back on the Ireland side and to be part of the Ireland squad for the next World Cup. That is another factor that I am taking into account. I must also do what is best for my wife and young son. And leaving the Dungannon club will not be easy.
Johns has given Ireland, Ulster and Dungannon great service. He was dropped after Ireland lost to France in last season's championship and was on the bench for the matches against Wales and England. He came on as a replacement against the Barbarians after a few minutes and was Ireland's outstanding forward in the "Peace International".
He would be a significant capture for the ambitious Bedford club who will be playing in the second division of the English league next season. He would therefore be available for Ulster in the European Cup.
Bedford have big plans for next season, and, at a meeting tonight, the members will be asked to approve a plan that will give a promotions company, Sports Network Europe, a 50 per cent stake in the club for a £2 million investment.
An integral part of the plan is that former England coach and Lions manager Geoff Cooke will take over as director of rugby, and that former Wales outside-half Paul Turner, who did such a good job at the Sale club, will take over as player/coach.
As expected, Ulster yesterday appointed former Leicester and Saracens coach Tony Russ as the first full-time coach to the province. He has been given a five-year contract and his duties will be wide-ranging.
Russ, a former coach to the England under-21 team, brought Saracens to the forefront of the game in England when he was coach to the club and, after being appointed to a full-time coaching post with Leicester, enjoyed great success and his departure from the club some weeks ago came as a great surprise.
Russ will not alone coach the Ulster senior side but will set up a structure co-ordinating all coaching programmes for all the Ulster teams. It is part of a five-year plan for the game in the province. He will work closely with Ken Reid, who will be Ulster manager, and the pair will have the assistance of three selectorial advisers: Philip Rainey, Dermot Dalton and John Kinnear.
Kelly Wilson, the former NIFC and Ulster prop forward, has been appointed as chairman of a new planning committee to look at the development of the game in the province.
Commenting on his new appointment, Russ said last night: "I am looking forward to the challenge and it represents an exciting opportunity in a very fertile rugby area. I hope we do well in the interprovincial series and nothing will please me more than the prospect of Ulster meeting Leicester at some stage in the European Cup."
The new president of the Ulster Branch is former international three-quarter Dion Glass.
Bath claimed to have come exhausted to the end of their longest season but this has not prevented Jon Sleightholme, their England wing, opting for a summer of professional rugby league with Sheffield Eagles, beginning against the Super League leaders St Helens on Saturday.
