Irish watch stand-off with interest

Many of Ireland's current internationals will have noted the tumultuous stand-off between their English counterparts and Twickenham wryly, given their own financial standing and some of the contrasts with their own contractual positions.

Uppermost among these was the renegotiated international match packages for Irish internationals from last season which are in inverse proportion to those which the English players briefly went on strike for.

Though the figures have not been confirmed by both sides in the dispute, it is believed that the English squad members sought a higher ratio of match fees (from u £4,500 sterling to u £5,250 a match) as against win bonuses u (£2,250 from £3,000 a match).

This would effectively increase their basic international package from u £36,000 to £42,000 over the season, admittedly on the premise that they play in all eight Tests, with a ceiling of u £60,000 on the basis that they compete and win all eight.

By comparison, last season the Irish players reluctantly settled for reduced match fees (down from £3,000 to £1,000 or £2,000 depending on whether they are home-based or overseas players) and an increase in win bonuses from £1,000 to £3,000 (though only against the three Southern hemisphere powers and Six Nations Championship opponents).

Thus, whereas the English players rejected a basic international package of £36,000 sterling a season on the basis of playing in all eight Tests this season, an overseas-based Irish player - on the presumption that he plays in all of Ireland's seven Tests this season - remains on less than half that, £19,000, especially when the currency valuations are taken into account.

A similar contrast remains when taking into account win bonuses, which is not exactly exorbitant.

Comparisons with Irish-based players are not really valid, where the IRFU's international contracts can vary from as little as £40,000 to over £100,000, with an average of around £55,000 according to most sources. (Provincial contracts vary from about £15,000 to £35,000, with a standard one being in the region of £27,000).

By contrast, the average salary in the English Premiership is reckoned to be around the £70,000 mark, with the top players earning more than that, and this excludes the vexed international packages which led to last Monday's protest by the English squad members.

Furthermore, the English players' intellectual property rights - independent use of their images for commercial deals - were acknowledged as part of this contractual agreement, whereas it will be remembered that Keith Wood's refusal to sign the IRFU's player international contract because of its failure to recognise players' intellectual property rights led to him being debarred from playing in the World Cup qualifier against Georgia.

Admittedly, in part due to Wood's stance, the IRFU have been more willing to recognise these rights and, while there is some sympathy for the English internationals, and particularly their mistrust of the RFU, all in all, relations between the union and Irish players seem to be on an altogether more trustworthy footing.

As one Irish player put it yesterday: "We'd do anything to play for our country and if somebody actually wants to pay us for it, then all the better."