Irish could play 14 games

The fourth World Cup dominates the northern hemisphere rugby calendar this year, and coupled with Ireland's four warm-up games, the European competitions, the second year of the expanded inter-provincials and an expanded Six Nations championship, there's never been a season quite like it.

So congested is the 1999-2000 season that, augmented by an end-of-season, three-test tour of Argentina, Canada and the USA, Ireland could play roughly 14 internationals over the coming year; on the proviso that they progress, say, to the World Cup quarterfinals via the play-off in Lens.

The season kicks off with the inter-provincials this coming Saturday and the following weekend, before a 30-32 man Irish squad comes together in Limerick on Sunday week. Ireland then begin their World Cup preparations with a fixture against Connacht, followed by a Test at home to Argentina on August 28th, after which the World Cup squad will be picked and announced on September 1st.

Even without the vagaries of an inclement northern hemisphere winter, the potential for fixture congestion is obvious. For example, the fourth and fifth round of inter-provincials in late October and early November are dependant upon Ireland's progress in the World Cup.

The AIB League doesn't begin until December 4th and despite squeezing in a series over the Christmas holidays, is likely to be smothered by the provinces competing in Europe. Perhaps ominously, the semi-finals of both the European competitions and the AIL are scheduled for the same day, May 6th.