Players' boycott ended

A resolution of sorts in the impasse between the Irish players and the travelling Irish media corps was reached last night when assurances were made via the team's press officer no restrictions would be placed on any individual journalist with regard to any group interviews.

"From an official point of view the issue has been resolved," commented Karl Richardson, the Ireland press officer following a meeting between him and the journalist in the eye of the storm. "The players feel they made their point and they are now happy to carry on (as before) for the remainder of the tour."

The media corps' request for even a brief meeting with a delegation of senior players on foot of Tuesday's walk-out, so as to avoid such scenarios happening again, and to air grievances on both sides, has not been met.

The request remains for early next week when the tour moves on to Perth for Ireland's concluding Test match against the Wallabies.

Not alone did the players initially decline to talk with the journalist who caused their ire, they then refused to even meet with representatives of the media subsequent to Tuesday's walk-out.

Ireland A coach Michael Bradley has made six changes to the team to take on England in the Churchill Cup Plate Final on Saturday in Edmonton, Canada.

IRELAND A (v England): Cunningham (Ulster); Maxwell (Ulster), Hearty (Connacht), Quinlan (Northampton), McPhilips (Connacht), Wallace, (Ulster) O'Leary (Munster); Hogan ( Connacht), Fogarty ( Connacht), Court ( Ulster), S Hogan (Munster), McCullough (Ulster), Jennings (Leicester), McMillen (Ulster), Heaslip ( Leinster).