Holwell wins monthly award

Leinster's David Holwell was yesterday named the Guinness Celtic League player of the month for November, reports Gavin Cummiskey.

The New Zealander earned the award by producing several composed displays at outhalf since his arrival in Ireland in the autumn.

The former Wellington Hurricane player is holding off the challenge of Argentina's finest outhalf, Felipe Contepomi, in the Leinster team.

An impressive haul of 49 points, comprising a try, 10 penalty goals and seven conversions, earned the Kiwi two man-of-the-match awards last month, against Llanelli and Glasgow. He was on the losing side in Wales but still managed an impressive kicking haul of five penalties and a conversion of Ricky Nebbett's try. A first try for Leinster and 12 kicked points saw Holwell inspire a 22-16 victory over Glasgow.

The award was decided by members of the national sports media.

EUROPEAN CUP: European rugby officials are travelling to Italy after Leicester complained about the change of venue for their Heineken European Cup tie against Calvisano next month.

The Pool One match on January 15th has been moved 30 miles to the Campo Comunale di Rovato in Brescia, against the wishes of the Tigers.

"The switch in venue, from San Michele to Campo Comunale di Rovato is a matter of concern to us, as we are expecting between 1,500 and 2,000 supporters to make the trip to Italy and the new venue has a capacity of only 1,000," Tigers managing director David Clayton told the club's website, www.tigers.co.uk.

"We have informed the ERC of our reservations and their representatives will be travelling to Italy to inspect the facilities and evaluate the potential for temporary expansion of the ground's capacity.

"We are also investigating the possibility of providing a shuttle bus service to and from the ground for our supporters."

The venue change was enforced because the Italian club do not have floodlights at their own ground, and European Cup rules state round six matches must kick off at the same time - which will be 3 p.m. GMT.

SCOTLAND: Scottish Rugby have recruited the services of two former Scotland internationals as full-time coaches. Iain Paxton will head up the coaching of the under-21s while Peter Wright takes on the role with the under-19s.

Former Lions number eight Paxton won 36 caps for Scotland and has spent the last six years coaching with Boroughmuir. He joined the under-21 coaching team last season, assisting former head coach Jonno Phillips.

Wright won 21 caps with Scotland and toured New Zealand with the Lions in 1993. He coaches at Glasgow Hawks.

DISCIPLINE: Glasgow prop Euan Murray has had his suspension for stamping reduced from 12 weeks to eight by Scottish Rugby's appeals committee. Murray was sent off for the offence during his club's Celtic League match against Llanelli on November 19th but the initial penalty has been quashed because the appeals committee ruled it was too harsh.

Also, the disciplinary panel did not convene within the time laid down by tournament rules, and thus had no jurisdiction to consider the report of the match referee.