Rugby digest

An IRFU tribunal last night heard a test case in which Terenure College alleged that Clontarf and Old Wesley had breached new union regulations for this season over payment of players. No decision was made last night, nor is one expected to be made for the time being. There was something of an irony in this first case of its kind, in that the regulations largely came about following an agreement amongst the Leinster clubs which came to be known unofficially as the Clontarf accord. The IRFU then adopted much of the principles agreed by that accord and have applied them for this season.

A ceiling of £3,500 in payment to an individual player was put in place, which was intended to cover all payments by a club to a player, such as signing-on fees, retention fees, match fees and win bonuses.

Designed as a deterrent, monitoring this new policy was never likely to be a science, and is difficult to prove. Nonetheless, rumours, coupled with letters of complaint, had already surfaced, though there has been no direct citing by any club until Terenure took this action.

The tribunal consists of an IRFU-appointed chairman, Jack Kirwan, and four others drawn from a pool of 14 nominated representatives, two from each branch and two from each of the AIL divisional associations.

Theoretically, the tribunal could decide upon one of a fairly wide-ranging list of sanctions against any club found to be in breach of the new agreement, such as the imposition of a fine, the loss of a match or having league points deducted, or even the suspension or expulsion of a club, team or player.

Golden Lions coach Laurie Mains has resigned and former South African rugby boss turned politician Louis Luyt has broken all ties with the club following a feud between the men.

Mains, a former New Zealand coach who led the side to the 1995 World Cup final and the Golden Lions to the 1999 Currie Cup, cited "interference" by Luyt and the rest of management at Ellis Park, the Johannesburg stadium that is the home base of the Lions, in the affairs of the team as his reason for quitting.

"The reason for my decision is the management style of Ellis Park and their constant interference and undermining of the team," said Mains. "This has been a disaster for Lions rugby."

Mains, who will continue coaching the Super 12 Cats side, said the tension with management came to a head in August when Luyt, the chairman of Ellis Park (Pty) Ltd, admitted that he had had the telephones of Mains and Golden Lions chief executive Johan Prinsloo tapped.

An unrepentant Luyt said he had no choice because information had been given to him by two independent sources that sensitive issues discussed at Ellis Park were being leaked to a third party.

Luyt in turn announced he was cutting all ties with the Golden Lions and Ellis Park to bring an end to his long-standing feud with Mains and Prinsloo.

Two Stade Francais forwards were last night cleared of alleged foul-play during a European Cup clash against Swansea 11 days ago. Hooker Fabrice Landreau and lock David Auradou appeared before a European Rugby Cup disciplinary panel in Dublin after being cited by Swansea officials.

But the disciplinary hearing cleared both players, with the case against Landreau rejected, and the case against Auradou not proven. Both players are now free to play in next Sunday's critical clash against Wasps at Loftus Road.

Bath prop John Mallett has been cleared to play in Saturday's crunch European Cup clash against Munster. Mallett appeared before an RFU disciplinary panel in Bristol last night after receiving three Premiership yellow cards and a potential regulation one-match ban.

But his appeal against a caution collected at Northampton last month was upheld, freeing Mallett for this weekend's critical Pool Four encounter.

Mallett also received a yellow card in the European Cup opener against French club Castres 16 days ago, but that misdemeanour was not considered, in keeping with stances adopted by other Home Unions.