THE Ireland rugby squad abandoned its weekend military style training session at the Curragh, Co Kildare, yesterday in a dispute over insurance cover.
The players, who have yet to sign any IRFU professional contract covering next season, were unwilling to undergo the Army's survival course without adequate insurance cover, according to Mr Gerry Kelly of Pro Active Sports Management (Irl), the company representing the squad's interests.
He said players were willing to do basic rugby operations, and were prepared to wait at a Kildare hotel until this morning, pending written commitment from the IRFU on insurance cover.
However, the Ireland manager, Mr Pat Whelan, had said a solution was impossible at such short notice, according to Mr Kelly. Mr Whelan was unavailable for comment yesterday. The captain, Niall Hogan, declined to comment.
"The players were very keen to get out and do the work, but given that most of them now see this as their livelihood they don't want to take risks without some fall back," Mr Kelly said. "They we've absolutely united on this issue.
The squad had been scheduled to report to the Curragh camp yesterday evening for another survival course, following last month's stint with the Army in the Glen of Imaal. Military techniques are seen by Whelan as vital in building the requisite physical fitness. But by early yesterday afternoon the players had left for home.
The apparent discrepancy over insurance emerged on Saturday night when Mr Kelly and Kevin Moran the former Ireland soccer international and a director of Pro Active arrived to discuss with players their contract negotiations with the IRFU. Pro Active has been advising players for the last five weeks, but has had no direct dealing with the IRFU.
"Then the issue of insurance came up and we discovered that they weren't covered to the status which they should be," Mr Kelly said. He returned to the team hotel yesterday morning to discuss the matter further with the players, and then with Mr Whelan.
The squad session was the second of three summer get togethers planned by Mr Whelan in preparation for Ireland's first season of professional rugby.