Ireland look to Southern Hemisphere

Ireland will travel to the Southern Hemisphere in order to prepare for their remaining three Six Nations Championship matches.

The IRFU is trying to arrange a match against a Super 12 side, preferably in South Africa, within the next five weeks to provide coach Warren Gatland with adequate preparation for the resumption of Ireland's Six Nations campaign. The union would also consider a fixture against a team from New Zealand, Australia or Argentina.

The postponement of the Six Nations games against Wales, England and Scotland because of the foot-and-mouth outbreak in Britain and the absence of any domestic rugby has denied the Irish team the continuity and confidence established from their two victories against Italy and France. The international players enforced absence from competitive action is viewed as seriously undermining Irish championship aspirations.

The IRFU is currently trying to negotiate a top-level encounter outside Ireland to provide Gatland and the squad with the requisite competitive environment when they return to action.

The IRFU president Eddie Coleman confirmed: "We are currently trying to negotiate a Test match and we will travel wherever that requires. We are looking for a meaningful match against serious opposition.

"We have an obligation to ensure that the national team is well prepared when the Six Nations Championship eventually resumes as we all hope it will. Internal training sessions or a warm-up game amongst the squads is not suitable so we have got to explore other avenues. I am hoping that we get what we are looking for."

An International Board (IRB) conference is currently taking place in London and Ireland are represented by Syd Millar, George Spotswood and Gatland who will be charged with trying to procure a fixture.

The obvious handicap is that the Super 12 is currently in full swing in the Southern Hemisphere and this would make finding a fixture window extremely difficult. Argentina remains a viable alternative but the IRFU would be keener on South Africa.

Coleman described the current sporting impasse as a "crisis" and not just for rugby. "It has affected everyone in all walks of life. I think we (IRFU) have acted quickly, decisively and responsibly as the situation unfolded.

"The main problem that we face at the moment is the Department's (Agriculture) guideline that 30 days have to elapse from the last reported case of foot-and-mouth before we can resume our travels to Britain. We can't move until that happens.

"We meet the Department once again on Monday and I am hopeful that we will get a date when we can resume normal activity in the domestic game. I would hope that the AIB League could begin again in two weeks (March 24th) if nothing else happens. Until we are given a firm date for resuming rugby there is little that we can do.

"We had a full committee meeting (Wednesday) to discuss all the issues, international and domestic. We have taken a hell of a hit but we would have been irresponsible not to have conformed with the wishes of the Department of Agriculture." Bringing a conclusion to the AIB League Division One will prove a logistical nightmare.

Most clubs have only completed seven of 15 games in the league. Then there is the potential two additional matches in the playoffs. Two games a week for clubs has been mooted as a possible solution but the IRFU is reluctant to embrace that scenario. Coleman explained: "It is a question now of how we can still fit the league in and make it meaningful.

"The two games a week solution is not something to which we would look. If all the players were professional then it might be more acceptable but many are amateurs with jobs and we can't demand that sort of sacrifice. When we get a date to resume domestically then we will call the clubs in and try and find a solution.

"We all want to be singing from the same hymn sheet. It's not anyone's fault that we find ourselves in the middle of a crisis. If it means that we have to extend the season then that is what we will do."