A STRATEGY which effectively excludes senior oarsmen from the current national squad is at the centre of a new row between clubs and the Irish Amateur Rowing Union.

Dissension has been simmering since early last month when it was decided that rowers over the 74.5 kg lightweight limit would not be invited to squad trials. The underlying resentment boiled over yesterday as Defence Forces coach Major Martin Breen launched a strongly worded attack on the Competitive Rowing Committee.

Their expected decision to blood junior squad oarsmen at next month's Home International in Nottingham - a regatta intended for developing senior club rowers drew particular criticism from Breen. "We are looking for seats at the Homes' but the current policy is effectively excluding over 23 seniors from international competition.

"The committee have a moral duty to ensure that juniors are not being brought on at the expense of others. People have the right to wear the green singlet if they have reached an international standard and they shouldn't be restricted from competition just because they are physically big."

The shortage of international class racing at home has seen the Defence Forces joining a mass exodus of Dublin clubs to London for this weekend's Docklands regatta.

Neptune are also taking a senior eight, and coach Peter Buckley has named a nine strong squad, which puts a number of his oarsmen under pressure to perform this weekend. Gary O'Neill's move to the bow seat is being seen by some observers as an attempt to remotivate the rower after a number of lacklustre races.

Other Irish participants in different events include UCD, Garda, Commercial and Castleconnell. Ireland's newly selected lightweight quad of Brendan Dolan, Emmet O'Brien, Neal Byrne and John Armstrong races for the first time, against Tideway Scullers, in the run up to their World Cup date in Paris.