IRFU to reduce AIL fixtures

The IRFU secured permission to resume domestic rugby in Ireland from next week following a meeting with senior officials from the Department of Agriculture. The provincial schools' cups will recommence early next week - Ulster's Schools' Senior Cup has already done so - while a full programme of AIB League matches will be played next Saturday, March 24th.

Of greater interest though is the proposal put forward by the First Division Clubs Association that the AIB League Division One programme be reduced by three games from 15 to 12. The IRFU has agreed to the clubs' wishes on the proviso there is still relegation from and promotion to Division One.

After next week's games are completed Division One will be frozen and a subcommittee within the union will draw up a new fixture list, that will guarantee all clubs 12 matches - this includes those already played - six at home and six away. Solomon wouldn't have fancied sorting through this mess but given that it is at the clubs' behest there can be little complaint at the outcome.

Once the remaining games are completed then the play-offs will take place as usual. The IRFU addressed the issue thus in a statement released yesterday: "Further to recent discussions involving the AIB League clubs working party pertaining to the completion of this season's fixtures, the IRFU would prefer that the league be completed in all divisions with every team playing the balance of their games.

"Following a meeting with all 16 club representatives of the first division, the union acknowledges the difficulties outlined with respect to midweek fixtures. The committee will accept the proposal from the First Division Association that the league be completed by each club playing 12 matches, six home and six away, in a format drawn up by the league subcommittee on the provision that there is promotion and relegation as per league regulations 10.1."

The IRFU confirmed the AIB League programme for next week in all three divisions is those fixtures originally scheduled for March 10th. The union has asked that clubs follow the Department of Agriculture guidelines in combating the spread of foot-and-mouth disease.

The Irish squad's three-match tour of South Africa still hangs in the balance. The squad are due to travel on Monday week, March 26th, but the union was unable to confirm whether they will fly out on that date. It appears that Ireland will travel to South Africa but a starting date is providing the biggest debate. The IRFU is hedging a little in the hope that next week might offer an inkling of when the foot-and-mouth crisis might start to slow down in Britain.

The union confirmed that they will continue to liaise with the Government in relation to the Six Nations Championship and European Cup. The South African tour would come under those umbrella talks.

Meanwhile the Leinster Senior Schools' Cup semi-finals will became a double header on Monday instead of the previous Monday, Tuesday schedule. Terenure College take on Kilkenny College on Monday at 2.45 p.m. followed by the Blackrock College-Castleknock College clash (4.15 p.m.). The Leinster Schools' Junior Cup quarter-final between The High School and Terenure will now take place on Tuesday at Donnybrook.