IRB to meet over inter-hemisphere row

The International Rugby Board are to meet next month to try to resolve the fiasco of the inter-hemisphere match.

The International Rugby Board are to meet next month to try to resolve the fiasco of the inter-hemisphere match.

Michael Lynagh has already resigned from his post with the IRB after his efforts to organise the match - which had been hoped would raise money for some of the poorer unions - was postponed after originally being scheduled to take place on November 30th.

The IRB ran into problems trying to persuade clubs to release their star players for the match which comes after a programme of international autumn Tests.

IRB spokesman Chris Rea told the BBC: "We have scheduled a meeting in November in which this will be addressed very seriously.

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"The postponement of the inter-hemisphere clash was very dissatisfying from our point of view. And we realise the problem is a matter of extreme urgency."

The IRB are also expected to look at who will host the 2007 World Cup, but unless the financial problems of some of the smaller Test-playing nations are resolved a number of countries fear they may be unable to send a team to the event.

Philipp Muller, chief executive of the Samoa Rugby Football Union, added: "Without such support at least, the three Island unions will not be able to tour or to host visiting teams for Tests.

"Without exposure to Test matches, these island teams would lose all competitiveness, which in turn could spell their demise as early as the 2007 Rugby World Cup."

Lynagh, who was responsible for global development and promotion of the game, told The Times: "I'm resigning for a variety of reasons, not all of them personal.

"It's a very sad state of affairs but it just wasn't working out so, rather than prolonging the agony, I felt it was better to go."