Compiled by Johnny Watterson

Small consolation for Japan

THE INTERNATIONAL Rugby Board announced last week Japan had won the booby prize in the great world tournament rugby hand-out. Japan will host the IRB Junior World Championship in 2009.

The awarding of the tournament, which brings together the world's best under-20 teams, can be seen as a significant boost to the continued development of rugby in Asia or as a sop to Japan in the wake of their failure to get the senior World Cup in 2011.

If memory serves, New Zealand was given the premier tournament (again), thus denying the IRB a chance to spread the rugby gospel in a country outside the traditional "old boy" network.

Ireland's call strange without Kidney

PERISH THE thought the Ireland head coach, Declan Kidney, might have had anything to do with the make-up of the squads to travel on the senior tour to New Zealand and Australia and the Churchill Cup.

There were 60 alerts sent out to players in the past few weeks informing them of the arrangements for each tour so they could plan summer holidays at times that did not clash.

At that stage of informing players there was no national coach in situ and no interim management team had been picked in the wake of Eddie O'Sullivan's departure.

In 2008 could it really have been the Appointments Committee, made up of Messrs Murphy, Whelan and Jackson and the director of rugby, Mr Wigglesworth, that decided who should and should not travel on such important campaigns?

There is a train of thought that says the Ireland coach should, before any invitations were issued, have carefully looked at what he wanted from the tours and what players he wanted involved.

Ospreys plucked bare  for final league outing

THE OSPREYS illustrated just how dead the final rubber of a Magners League weekend can be. Because the Wales national team under Warren Gatland were in Ireland preparing for their matches against South Africa, Shane Williams, Sonny Parker, Andrew Bishop, James Hook, Duncan Jones, Adam Jones, Huw Bennett, Ian Gough, Ian Evans, Alun-Wyn Jones, Ryan Jones and Jonathan Thomas were all unavailable for selection to the Ospreys coach Lyn Davies.

Seven others - Ben Lewis, Aled Brew, Lee Byrne, Gavin Henson, Mike Phillips, Nikki Walker and Andrew Millward - were ruled out of the final weekend because of injury.

Taking 19 players out of the selection process hardly sends out the message "come and watch."

Collins plays down Leinster link

THE ALL BLACKS backrow Jerry Collins has been busy denying claims he is seeking an early release from his NZRU contract to play overseas.

The Daily Mail had reported the 48-Test All Black was ready to move to the Northern Hemisphere and had linked him with Leinster.

Collins admitted the idea of playing overseas was in the back of his mind but told the Dominion Post he had not sought an early release: "I haven't asked for it . . . at the moment my main focus has been on the Hurricanes. At this stage it's just purely about this (the Super 14)."

With Nick Evans having signed for Harlequins and Dan Carter linked to several European clubs, Collins conceded rumours were bound to proliferate. Methinks he doth protest too much.

Fitzgerald takes up GOAL baton

LUKE FITZGERALD is the latest Leinster rugby player to have been made an ambassador for the Irish relief agency GOAL.

Following hot on the footsteps of his Leinster and Ireland team-mate Gordon D'Arcy, whose outlook and attitude to the Third World changed completely following a trip with GOAL to the slums of Calcutta, Fitzgerald can look forward to similar eye-opening experiences with GOAL's founder, John O'Shea.

Since his last trip D'Arcy has become passionate about continuing to contribute to Third World issues.

Clancy added to IRB panel

GLOUCESTER ARE a win away from reaching a third Premiership final in six seasons after James Simpson-Daniel's scorching try secured an 8-6 victory over Bath on Saturday.

While Bath now head to play-off opponents Wasps next Sunday, Gloucester have a chance to avenge last year's painful Twickenham experience against the reigning champions, Leicester, at Kingsholm.

Clancy added to IRBU panel

THE IRFU have added another referee to the IRB's International panel. George Clancy joins Alain Rolland and Alan Lewis in the 19-man panel.

Interestingly, Nigel Owen is the only referee from Wales on the panel, while Scotland has no representative. England has, like Ireland, three members.

Clancy will do the matches between England and the Barbarians, in London, and South Africa and Italy, in Capetown, both next month.