Following the lead of their English, French, and Southern Hemisphere counterparts, Ireland's professional players have set up their own association, the Irish Rugby Union Players Association (IRUPA). Already over 95 per cent of the 130 or so of the players who are provincially and nationally contracted to the IRFU have joined the association.

The negotiations between the players and the union have reputedly been very amicable, indeed the union were so willing to recognise the inevitability of a players' association they issued a statement yesterday welcoming the establishment of the IRUPA just before the association announced its own creation.

Although the association's expressed purpose is to protect the rights of its members, and "to improve economic and employment conditions for players" they stress their motives are not purely monetary. The IRUPA stresses its desire to further players' education and help prepare them for life after rugby, to provide legal advice and enable them to be consulted more on issues like the fixture list.

Meanwhile, medical specialists have confirmed Jeremy Davidson has a torn meniscus which will sideline him for three to six weeks.