Australia set their sights on Saturday

TORRENTIAL rain and gale force winds caused the cancellation of the Leinster-Australia match scheduled for Lansdowne Road last night.

The ground was playable when inspected yesterday afternoon, but the adverse weather forecast and primarily the concern for player safety in such awful conditions influenced the decision to cancel. The proximity of the international on Saturday and the damage likely to be caused to a saturated surface was a further factor in the decision.

The IRFU secretary, Philip Browne, and Leinster officials honorary secretary Sandy Heffernan and honorary treasurer Peter Boyle, who had inspected the ground, went to the Australian hotel for discussions with the tourists management and there were suggestions that the match might take place today. After giving the matter due consideration the Australians decided against it.

That is an understandable reaction from the tourists. They did not want to play a match just three days before the international, particularly as some of the players chosen against Leinster could well be playing in on Saturday.

Browne said last night: "We had a ground inspection at 3 p. m. and at that stage it was still raining heavily and the ground was very wet. All the indications were that the playing conditions would be intolerable. We also took the weather forecast into consideration and there was no encouragement chat the weather would improve."

Australian manager, Peter Falk said: "It is a great disappointment to us. You never want to see a match cancelled especially on tour. It is especially disappointing for the players in that they would have seen it as a selection trial for the test. It would have given players the chance to stake their claims for inclusion in the match on Saturday."

Leinster manager Jim Glennon, said: "To say we are disappointed is an understatement. The players are bitterly disappointed. I feel especially sorry for our senior players. It is unlikely they will again get a chance to play against a major touring team. It was a very special match for them and for Leinster."

It is the first time that a match involving a major touring team has been cancelled in Ireland since touring sides first came here a century ago. In 1985, the international against England was postponed because of snow and a match against Wales was also postponed.

The match between the Leinster under-21 team and the New Zealand News Youths scheduled for Donnybrook yesterday was another casualty of the weather. It has, however, been re-fixed for today at the same venue.