AS anticipated, the IRFU yesterday confirmed agreement has been reached with the international squad on the players contracts. The way is now clear for the contracts to be signed, as all contentious issues have been resolved.

Billy Lavery, the chairman of the three man IRFU game participation sub committee (the others are the IRFU president, Bobby Deacy, and Eddie Coleman), said "I am very pleased that agreement has been reached between the Union and the players on this critical issue. An enormous amount of work has gone into finalising the contracts and this obviously reflects the ever changing circumstances within rugby in the present era.

"I believe the agreement reached reflects a fair and equitable conclusion to the matter.

"A good number of our players are now full time professionals," he said, "and the basis of these contracts reflects this evolution in Irish rugby. We now have in place agreements which ensure that our management and players have the ability to prepare as thoroughly for international rugby matches as any other players in the world."

Ii was an arduous process for Lavery and his colleagues. In addition to chairing the committee responsible for negotiating the contracts, Lavery also recently rewrote the laws of the IRFU to bring them into line with the changes made by the International Rugby Board.

It is worth referring yet again to the structure of the contracts. Ireland based squad members will receive £30,000 plus a car. The England based players will get £800 for each squad weekend. There will be £3,000 per match for those who play in a senior international.

Those in the 21 who do not take the field will get £1,000, and there is also a £1,000 win bonus with £500 for a draw. There will be payment of £750 for each player in the A internationals.

The four development players named in addition to the senior squad members, who will train with the senior squad if and when requested, will each receive a basic payment of £9,600. They are Jan Cunningham, Denis Hickie Colin McEntee and Brian O'Meara, all under 21 internationals. A fifth development player who had been chosen originally, flanker Kieron Dawson, has subsequently gone to play his rugby in England.

Meanwhile, the London Irish squad for the match against Ulster at Ravenhill tomorrow week includes Ireland internationals Jeremy Davidson, Victor Costello and Niall Woods, all recruited this season, as well as internationals Gabriel Fulcher, who enlisted last February, Conor O'Shea, Gary Halpin, the team captain, and David Humphreys.

Ireland A internationals Malcolm O'Kelly, another new recruit this season, Robert Henderson and Barry Walsh are also included in the squad. London Irish will also play a match against Dungannon on Wednesday evening at Stevenson Park.

. Gordon Black will referee tomorrow's match between Scotland and the Barbarians at Murrayfield. The proceeds from the match will go to the Dunblane Fund.

The Association of Referees, Leinster Branch, hold their laws seminar in Carlow tomorrow. Day long courses will be run for active and foundation group referees. There will be a match in the afternoon involving a Leinster junior selection.

Clongowes Wood College is the venue for the IRFU coaching courses this weekend.