IRFU set to discuss players' contracts

THE crucial issue of the IRFU contracting up to 100 players for next season will be carried a stage further tomorrow when the subcommittee dealing with that matter meets in Dublin.

Producing a worthwhile package with the incentives to keep players at home and to make it worthwhile for those in England to return to play their club rugby in Ireland, will be discussed in depth.

Billy Lavery, the chairman of the IRFU contracts subcommittee, said yesterday: "It is a very important meeting with a lot of issues involved but we hope to make considerable progress towards finalising the matter. We would like to bring it to conclusion as soon as possible."

The subcommittee consists of Lavery. Eddie Coleman, the IRFU president, Bobby Deacy, John Lyons, the honorary treasurer of the IRFU and Noel Murphy, the junior vice-president of the IRFU.

There is no doubt that several of the players currently in England would like to return and some undoubtedly will, such as David Humphreys, who is likely return to Ballymena from London Irish. One of the problems for come of the English-based players is that they do not have an opt out clause in their contracts for next season. In those circumstances it is likely that English clubs would require a fee for their release.

For instance when Eddie Halvey returned from Saracens to Shannon, Shannon had to pay Saracens around £7,000 in compensation before he got his release. While the IRFU is very anxious to get as many players back as possible and will present incentives in that regard, it is doubtful if they would be prepared to pay an English club for the release of any Irish players. Those Irish clubs who want the players from the English clubs would probably have to meet such an expenditure.

Some of those who went to England at the end of last season did not obviously take all the relevant factors or possible implications into consideration before they signed their contracts. They had been advised to seek help and indeed offered help by the IRFU before committing themselves.

They did not take advantage of the offer. One English-based Ireland international who did not want to be named said: "I just wish now I had looked at all the implications before I committed myself. Unfortunately I do not have an opt out clause. I want to return to Ireland but I fear it could mean a fee and that could prove to be an inhibiting factor."

Some very fruitful meetings have taken place recently between Irish first division clubs and an issue such as the return of players from England and keeping players at home are obviously of paramount importance to the Irish clubs. Some clubs have suffered considerably and deserve as much support as possible. They are the bedrock of the game outside the schools in this country.

I still believe and so do many of the clubs that the All-Ireland League needs considerable amendment despite the vote taken some months ago to leave the present structure in place for next season. There is one other issue on the league and that is the reluctance of clubs to play matches on Sundays and thus avoid unnecessary fixture clashes. A few weeks ago in Dublin you had the ludicrous situation of three first division AIL matches taking place within a few hundred yards of each other. One of those involved a Dublin club against a Dublin club. That same afternoon there were four first division matches in Dublin. The same thing is happening in Limerick. There is nothing to stop clubs switching fixtures to Sunday if there is mutual agreement.

Another important meeting scheduled for tomorrow is that of the IRFU election subcommittee, the body that appoints the Ireland coach, manager and selectors. They have the very important matter to finalise of the appointment of the third man to join manager Pat Whelan and coach Brian Ashton. The election subcommittee consists of Eddie Coleman, who is chairman, Noel Murphy and Syd Millar. Ashton and Whelan will be in Dublin for consultation on that and other issues.

I gather it is unlikely that the third man will be appointed tomorrow. But with Ireland due to go to New Zealand in May, the squad for that must of necessity be selected next week or at the latest early the week after. Whelan concedes that this is the position with players having to arrange to get time off work and many other arrangements to be made.

If as was intended, the squad-is chosen by the three-man committee it would surely be the proper procedure to adopt if the three man set up is now deemed as the best way forward - then the appointment of the third man is now a matter of some urgency.

While the election sub committee will make the actual appointment Ashton and Whelan will surely have a big input into selecting the man with whom they are going to work. Nor should provincial considerations be a factor in any way. Ashton, as the coach, should have the major input.

Ratification of the third man by the IRFU will not be an inhibiting factor. They will support the recommendation of the election subcommittee. The officers of the union meet this weekend, the next meeting of the full IRFU executive is scheduled for April 25th.

Because of the Easter bank holiday the clubs did not select on Monday night for the league programme next Saturday. The first division leaders Shannon, three points head of St Mary's College and four in front of Lansdowne, with two matches to play, will win the title if they beat Old Crescent at Thomond Park on Saturday irrespective of the results of St Mary's match against Terenure College and Lansdowne's encounter with Blackrock College.

The Shannon team will be announced this morning and they expect to be able to select from a full squad. Old Crescent will be without outside half Stephen Tuohy, who cracked a bone in an ankle last Saturday.

Old Belvedere, deep in a fight against relegation, will be without second row Mark Feely who faces suspension after being sent off against Lansdowne last Saturday. Old Belvedere will be away to Ballymena, who have won their last five matches in the league.

There are three changes in the Ireland schools team to meet Wales at the Old Parish Ground, Maesteg next Saturday from the side that lost to England last Saturday night. Stephen Conway (Crescent Comprehensive), unavailable because of injury against England, replaces David Wilmot (Coleraine Al) on the right wing, Bobby Quigley (Clongowes Wood) will be at scrum half for Ciaran Scally (Blackrock), who is ruled out by the knee injury sustained against England, and Peter Callanan (Clongowes Wood) replaces Garret Lloyd (St Mary's) in the second row. Both Quigley and Callanan came on as replacements against England for Scally and Lloyd respectively.