England back down again

THE English Rugby Union (RFU) just cannot get away from contentious issues in these days of constant upheaval in the game.

No sooner one controversy - The Five Nations issue - set aside than the RFU finds itself at the centre of yet an other debate and argument.

Yesterday the chief executive of the Australian Rugby Union, John O'Neill, announced that Australia would play England at Twickenham on December 7th, the date that had been set aside for the Wallabies match against the Barbarians.

But no sooner was that announcement made than Ray Williams, chairman of the Home Unions Tours committee stated that the match against England would not take place and that the fixture against the Barbarians would stay in place.

While discussions did take place about the possibility of England taking over the Barbarians' fixture, thus affording the Wallabies a chance of a grand slam on their forthcoming tour when they will meet Ireland, Scotland and Wales, no agreement was made. The suggestion was not received with any enthusiasm by the other unions. And Williams made it clear yesterday that the announcement from Australia was not alone premature but incorrect and that the match against the Barbarians will go ahead.

"The Barbarians' match against a touring team is a very special fixture involving all four unions," said Williams. "Over 30,000 tickets have already been sold for the match. All in all we consider it in the best interests of all four home unions that the present arrangements stand."

The RFU, obviously not wishing to get on the wrong side of the unions with whom they have just reached an accord on the Five Nations Championship, accept that the Barbarians match will go ahead. A spokesman for the RFU said yesterday: "We support the comments made by Ray Williams."

Meanwhile, the IRFU has agreed to switch the date of the international against Australia from November 30th to November 23rd. That request had come after the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) had made an arrangement with the IRFU to give the Welsh one of the six matches that had been allocated to Ireland for the Wallabies tour in exchange for the Irish receiving a match next season against the All Blacks in Ireland. Ireland surrendered the fixture between Ireland A and the Wallabies. That had been fixed for November 26th.

The IRFU had offered to switch thee date of the Munster-Australia match from November 23rd to the 26th to allow Australia to travel to Wales. But that would have meant the Australians breaking their Irish tour, travelling to Wales to play on the weekend of November 23rd and then returning again to Ireland to play Munster on November 26th and Ireland on the 30th.

That will not now be necessary with the date of the Australia-Ireland match brought forward a week. As already announced, the Wallabies match against Leinster had been brought forward a day from November 20th to the 19th, - the Tuesday before the international. The match against Munster in Limerick takes place on the following Tuesday.

A match has now been arranged between Ireland A and the Junior Springboks on November 12th at Donnybrook. There was also confirmation yesterday that the New Zealand Youth side will visit Ireland this season. They play five matches, including an international on November 17th in Limerick.

As anticipated The Ireland A team management team that operated last season has been retained intact: Ray Coughlan (manager), Dave Haslett (coach), Tom Morrissey (administrator), Donald O'Shaughnessy (team doctor) and Denise Fanagan (physiotherapist).

The new manager of the Ireland under-21 team is Jim Glennon, the Leinster manager. He replaces David Irwin, who is not available because of his commitments as a medical doctor. Eddie O'Sullivan has been reappointed coach. The under-21 team won the Triple Crown last season.

The Ireland Students team will not play any matches this season. The students side competed in the World Cup during the summer in South Africa, where the arrangements for the participating sides with regard to accommodation, transport and other matters have drawn vigorous protests from the countries.

The Students usually play England and France, but these matches have been dropped because of the heavy programme involving the Ireland A and under-21 teams.