ERC shareholders to meet in Dublin today

The ERC shareholders are to meet in Dublin today. Reports over the weekend stated the company which runs the Heineken Cup will be wound up at the end of the season as a new body is formed to run Europe's premier rugby tournament.

The ERC board of directors, some of whom are involved in forming the new 20-team competition, which will remain under IRB control, convenes tomorrow.

Heads of agreement for new competitions are expected to be signed this week. This would see only one Irish province guaranteed qualification, but there is scope for the other three to qualify on merit via the Pro12 league.

Meanwhile, preparations for Saturday's Leinster versus Munster game will stall momentarily tomorrow afternoon when the Ireland squad visits Áras an Uachtaráin to present the Six Nations trophy to President Michael D Higgins.

Four days out from the resumption of hostilities at the Aviva Stadium and nobody has been reported as injured. An update on Peter O’Mahony’s hamstring is due from the man himself today.

The Munster captain suffered a “strain” at Twickenham on February 22nd but did enough to regain the number six jersey in Paris on March 15th. However, O’Mahony failed to finish that historic game.

Leinster reported a clean bill of health for their session in UCD yesterday but that may well change by this afternoon. Cian Healy’s training has been restricted since ankle surgery in December while his loosehead understudy, for both country and province, Jack McGrath remains a concern after sustaining collarbone damage against France.

"Jack picked up a knock late in that game in France and he is an (Ireland) reserve we would have liked to get involved against Zebre but he wasn't ready to go but we'll see how he is ready to go during this week's preparation," said forwards coach Jonno Gibbs. "We'd like to get him involved."

Further examined
Seán Cronin (neck) and Richardt Strauss (knee) also need to be further examined.

The Leinster Branch have returned 1,000 of the 3,500 allocation they received for the Heineken Cup quarter-final against defending champions Toulon at the Stade Félix Mayol on April 6th.

That match will be referee by England's Wayne Barnes, with Nigel Owens taking charge of Munster versus Toulouse in Thomond Park and Jerome Garces overseeing Ulster and Saracens repeat of last season's quarter-final but this time at a refurbished Ravenhill. Ireland's soon-to-be-retired international referee, Alain Rolland, will be at the Stade Marcel-Michelin for Clermont versus Leicester game.

Connacht’s fourth Pro12 victory in a row has come at a price with Dave McSharry (concussion), Andrew Browne (elbow) and Eoghan Masterson (broken nose) now a doubt for Sunday’s trip to Llanelli.

On the club scene, Blackrock College RFC have confirmed the appointment of Emmet Farrell as their head coach for next season following the premature departure of Ben Mannion, who left the club with four games still to play in Division One B to take up job in his native Australia.