Resolution to Celtic League spat is receding by the day

Celtic League Crisis: The Celtic League spat escalates on a daily basis as the prospect of a resolution to the impasse recedes. There has been no official communication between the two parties - the IRFU and SRU on one side and the WRU on the other - so the chances of a compromise don't appear promising at present.

The IRFU's chief executive Philip Browne expressed his concern thus: "In taking five weekends out of the Celtic League to facilitate playing in the Anglo-Welsh Cup the Welsh (union) have ripped the heart out of it (the Celtic League). They have emasculated the Celtic League on the back of the Anglo Welsh Cup.

"They released another fixture document without addressing the fundamental issue of not playing on international weekends.

"Scotland simply does not have enough players to play then. We must have a meaningful Celtic League to make it commercially viable.

"Wales are claiming the nuclear option; accept our decision or else. Wales want to have the Powergen Cup on the three weekends leading up to the Heineken Cup in October and again when the competition resumes in December.

"This rips the heart out of the Celtic League and means that the Scottish and Irish would finish their seasons a week earlier than the Welsh.

"I'm not quite sure how we are going to resolve it (the impasse). There is no movement in Wales who have made the Anglo-Welsh Cup a priority and in doing so relegated the importance of the Celtic League. There will have to be some accommodation on both sides. We have no problems with them playing in the Powergen Cup, just the dates in question.

"We have to create a professional season and we'd prefer that to involve a Celtic League at the centre of it."

Browne is fully conversant with real need to find a compromise so that brinkmanship isn't a route to financial ruin.

The financial package provided by the television companies is threatened by the dispute. Setanta's chief executive, Niall Cogley, admitted: "We have adopted a wait and see approach. Obviously we're hoping that there is a resolution. It is in the interest of everyone to reach and agreement and hopefully that's the way it will pan out."

Also joining the fray by virtue of a statement was CEO of IRUPA Niall Woods. It read: "It is with dismay and extreme concern that the Irish Rugby Union Players Association (IRUPA) has learned of the joint decision by the IRFU and SRFU to cancel the Celtic League for the 2005/2006 season.

"IRUPA shall be seeking confirmation from the IRFU that players' jobs shall not be adversely affected by this drastic turn of events. We are bitterly disappointed that IRUPA only learned of this serious matter through the media, despite the fact that it directly affects the livelihoods of professional rugby players.

"IRUPA shall be seeking to meet with the IRFU in the very near future to voice our grave concerns at this unwelcome development."