New Five Nations deal near

Five Nations chiefs are on the verge of securing a multi-million pound sponsorship deal for rugby's showpiece event. Allan Hosie, the newly-elected chairman of the championship commitee, revealed that talks were under way with a potential backer, believed to be a major bank.

Reports during the summer speculated that Lloyds-TSB were ready to plough in over £16 million in a three-year package, although that could pose problems for the Scottish union, whose current sponsor is the Royal Bank of Scotland.

But Hosie, the former international referee and Scotland's representative on the International Board, denied that any Five Nations deal would conflict with the arrangements already in place.

"We are having ongoing discussions with a sponsor with a view to securing a total Five Nations deal," he said. "Any new deal won't alter our relations with the Royal Bank."

Hosie also hinted that any decision to admit Italy to a Six Nations Championship might be delayed until after the 1999 World Cup and could be ruled out altogether.

"In terms of the fixture structure, it is a very important time leading up to the World Cup and we don't want to devalue that," he said.

"The principal responsibility of the committee is to make sure that the championship is the pinnacle of rugby in the northern hemisphere. We want it to be something that we can cherish."

St Mary's College have pulled out of the Smithwicks' Old Belvedere Floodlit Cup because of injuries. St Mary's were due to play Wanderers at 7.30 tonight but Wanderers have received a bye into the second round. They will now meet the winners of the Suttonians-Buccaneers tie which is the next match in the competition a week today.