IRFU to apply to GAA about staging semi-final

RUGBY NEWS ROUND-UP: THE GAA is likely to receive a formal written request for permission to stage a potential Heineken Cup semi-final between Munster and Leinster at Croke Park ahead of their Central Council meeting on Saturday, February 14th.

The IRFU’s chief executive Philip Browne declined to comment other than to suggest that: “if someone wanted to use Lansdowne Road I would expect them to write to me. A certain protocol would have to be observed.”

Quite apart from the fact the Irish provinces have to win their respective quarter-finals against the Ospreys and Harlequins before the match can become a reality, the tournament itself falls under the auspices of ERC and they would be involved in any discussion process.

The likelihood is they would defer to the IRFU in negotiating the possible availability of Croke Park for the match rather than enter into direct consultation with the GAA. A spokesperson for ERC confirmed they would be seeking to secure and then announce the prospective semi-final venues over the next few weeks.

The Ireland squad trained at a rain-swept University of Limerick yesterday. Several players were nursing bumps and bruises, one of them young Munster centre Keith Earls, who picked up a dead leg in Munster’s victory over Montauban at the weekend.

Everyone is expected to be considered when Ireland coach Declan Kidney splices the extended squad into a senior panel and an A group, only saying “it will be more than 22 and less than 30”. The Ireland Under-20 squad will also be revealed.

It will be next week before the Ireland squad for the Sevens World Cup is confirmed. A group of 20 or so players trained for three and a half days this week – they break up at lunch-time today – under coach John Skurr and manager Hugh McCaughey.

They will come together again for another camp from February 10th-13th and then at the end of that month prepare in the warmth of the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, where they will complete their preparations in a mini-tournament. The Sevens World Cup takes place in Dubai from March 1st-7th.

Among the young players taking part this week were the Ulster quartet of scrumhalf Paul Marshall, number eight Chris Henry, centre Ian Whitten and wing Mark McCrea, along with Leinster Academy prospects Kyle Tonetti and Cian Aherne.

Munster were represented by Tommy O’Donnell, Eoghan Grace, Billy Holland and Duncan Williams, amongst others, while Connacht’s versatile Danny Riordan and scrumhalf Conor O’Loughlin also took part. Brian Tuohy of the Cornish Pirates, who played in the Churchill Cup, was also present.

About half a dozen players missed out because of injuries and other commitments but, if available, players like Dolphin and Munster backrow James Coughlan and former rugby league international Brian Carney could be Dubai bound.

Meanwhile Jean-Baptiste Elissalde was philosophical after being left out of Marc Lievremont’s 23-man squad for the opening Six Nations game against Ireland at Croke Park tomorrow week.

The French coach confirmed he would draw from the squad for the first two matches of the tournament. Lievremont opted for two young number nines, Morgan Parra and Sebastien Tillous-Borde, and just one outhalf in Lionel Beauxis. Parra, Yannick Jauzion and Benoit Baby could, in an emergency, fulfil the outhalf remit.

“At 30, you know how to cope with these moments,” said the player. “It isn’t the first time I have had them. I am going to get back to work with Toulouse while I also know I am still not too far away, since I was in the provisional 30-man (training-camp) squad.”

Beauxis has not played for France since the 2007 World Cup and has played most of his rugby for Stade Français this season at fullback.

The other major talking point was the inclusion of Imanol Harinordoquy – left out of the original 30-man training squad because of injury – ahead of Julien Bonnaire and Damien Chouly.

FRENCH SQUAD: Forwards: N Mas (Pergignan), L Faure (Sale), B Lecouls (Toulouse), F Barcella (Biarritz), D Szarzewski (Stade Francais), B Kayser (Leicester), S Chabal (Sale), L Nallet (capt, Castres), R Millo-Chluski (Toulouse), T Dusautoir (Toulouse), F Ouedraogo (Montpellier), L Picamoles (Montpellier), I Harinordoquy (Biarritz). Backs: S Tillous-Borde (Castres), M Parra (Bourgoin), L Beauxis (Stade Français), Y Jauzion (Toulouse), B Baby (Clermont), F Fritz (Toulouse), J Malzieu (Clermont), C Heymans (Toulouse), C Poitrenaud (Toulouse), M Medard (Toulouse).