IRFU to discuss committee's report on structure of game

THE special committee set up to look at the game in Ireland, its structure and other relevant matters.

The Presidents Review Committee has given its report to the IRFU committee.

The report will be discussed by the union at their meeting in February.

The committee was chaired by Ken Reid, the IRFU president last season, and other members were the former Ireland manager. Noel Murphy, John Callanan, former chairman of the Connacht, selectors former Ireland captain Fergus Slattery and Frank Hogan of Garryowen.

Reid also set another small committee of internationals to give the benefits of their experience and offer recommendations. They include Donal Lenihan, Ollie Campbell, John O'Driscoll and David Irwin, the manager of the Ireland under 21 side.

The review committee had a fairly open brief but were not helped by happenings in the game after it was set up. For instance the game went professional and also the European Cup was set up in recent months. Those factors had to be taken into consideration.

The structure and management of the season was an integral part of the committee agenda and selection committee's plus the best method of selecting those selectors. The structure of the season is certainly a major issue and a very consideration.

It is not without significance that in advance of the IRFU discussion on the report, representatives of all the senior clubs in Ireland met in Dublin last Saturday. The structure of the season was high on the agenda.

Some clubs are unhappy about the fixture schedule that exists in the All Ireland League which is split as it were into two halves, early and late in the season. That was done to accommodate the interprovincials and now the European Cup series has to be taken into account.

The IRFU has a major task on hand to strike the right balance and with more European C up fixtures next season the position is not based. I understand, too, that next season the European Cup matches will be played on Saturdays and not in midweek as was the case this season.

The meeting of the clubs last Saturday was, apparently, a very constructive affair. But there is a feeling that the clubs are suffering under the new order. Some think too that it would be beneficial were the way open for clubs to compete in an international competition perhaps something on the lines of the new Anglo Welsh league that is scheduled to start next season.

One other factor that is causing the clubs understandable anxiety is that some of the best players in the country are being lured to England. They want efforts made to try and stop the exodus. That can be summed up in one word - money.

. Neil Jenkins is struggling to confirm his fitness before Wales open their Five Nations Championship campaign against England a week on Saturday. The Pontypridd out half, who suffered a broken collar bone last month, has failed to recover in time to be included in the team to meet Swansea in a Welsh League first division match at St Helen's tonight.