Contractual acceptance expected

WITH the difficulties in relation to the Ireland players' contracts now resolved, confirmation of acceptance by the players' legal advisers is all that is awaited.

Following that an official announcement will be made and that is expected within the next day or two. The way will then be clear for the five-day squad train session, which starts on Friday in Limerick, to go ahead.

Insurance was a very contentious issue and was a primary reason for the disruption of the last sessions in Kildare some weeks ago. After training on the Saturday, the players refused to undertake the schedule laid down for Sunday and the session was consequently cancelled. The players' decision was conveyed to the Ireland manager Pat Whelan by the players' agents. But Whelan was not in a position to offer any guarantees in relation to any aspect of the contracts as he is not involved in the negotiations between the IRFU and the players.

What is certain is that all aspects of the contractual agreement must be signed and in place before the sessions go ahead this weekend. The Ireland management, quite correctly, are not prepared to have any repetition of the events that took place in Kildare.

Former All Black back row forward and captain Mike Brewer, now with Blackrock College, will be in attendance at the sessions to help with the training schedule. Brewer has not been appointed forwards' coach and no such appointment is likely to be made. He has just been called in by management to lend his experience and expertise in this instance.

Brewer is likely to be one of several people who nay, from time to time, be in to help out when the management see fit. Last season former All Black John Mitchell was called in as an assistant and, helped to coach the forwards prior to the championship.

Meanwhile, Ireland coach Murray Kidd has just returned from the Southern Hemisphere. He saw Australia South Africa in Blomfontein a fortnight ago and last weekend witnessed New Zealand defeat South Africa in Cape Town. He was one of several c0aches and officials from these islands, including England coach Jack Rowell, who have been keeping an eye on events in the Tri-Nations series.

As an integral part of the squad's preparations for the internationals - three are scheduled prior to the championship (v Western Samoa on November 12th, v Australia on November 30th and v Italy on January 4th) - Ireland will play Munster at Thomond Park on September 8th and Leinster on September 15th. Those matches should be very useful preparation the Interprovincial series and the European Cup.

Three of the four provinces undertake tours prior to the championship. Leinster play Sale away on August 24th, then travel to Italy to play Benetton in Treviso on September 1st and the Italian Zebras in Genoa on September 6th.

Connacht travel to previously uncharted territory when they go to Sweden to play the Stockholm Exiles on September 4th and the national team in Stockholm on September 7th. Munster play Manchester in Cheadle Hulme on August 22nd and then play Orrell in Orrell two days later. They also play a St Munchin's selection on September 14th.

Ulster's preparations will be confined to matches against London Irish at Ravenhill on August 24th and then against Ballymena and Dungannon.

When Ireland first played at B international level, a grade subsequently designated as A level, their initial opponents were France. That was in 1975 and a tempestuous match, in which four players were sent off, ended in a 9-6 win for Ireland. Ireland then played France in Dijon the following year, but that was the last occasion the countries met at this level.

In recent years annual matches have taken place against Wales, Scotland and England, and now France want to play Ireland against at that level. The match has been provisionally fixed for January 17th, the eye of the championship match in Dublin between the two countries.

France also want to play Ireland at under-21 level, a grade at which the countries have never met. Last season, Ireland won the Triple Crown and have been playing the other home countries annually in this grade. An under 21 international against, the French has also been provisionally arranged for January 17th.