Planet Rugby

A look at today's other stories in brief

Reds take precedence

It would be interesting to ask the players concerned where they would like to be these days, but one suspects Will Genia and Quade Cooper would much rather be in Belfast with the Australia team for the Under-19 World Championships than in Queensland playing Super 14 with the Reds franchise.

Scrumhalf Genia and outhalf Cooper were named in the Australian squad but were pulled from the trip because they were required for Super 14 duty. It's a testament to the ability of the two 18-year-olds that they were deemed indispensable by the franchise.

Things, though, aren't going well for Queensland. They lost 56-19 at home to the Sharks at the weekend. Cooper started at outhalf, Genia on the bench. The two would surely have made a significant difference to Australia's chances of retaining their world title in Belfast over the next couple of weeks, especially on the evidence of the Aussies' narrow opening victory over Ireland last Friday night (15-10).

The Aussies relied heavily on brute force at the weekend and might need a little more subtlety if they are to repeat last year's Dubai heroics.

Under-18s pipped

The Ireland Under-18 club side lost to France in a penalty shootout (4-3) in the final of the FIRA-AER U18 European Championships in Dax, France, at the weekend, a superb effort from the Irish youngsters.

They qualified for the final by beating Georgia and England, the top-ranked team going into the tournament.

Ireland started the final aggressively and deservedly took the lead in the fifth minute through captain Eamonn Sheridan, who kicked a penalty from the French 10-metre line.

The hosts responded with a similar strike only for Ireland to regain the initiative 10 minutes after the interval when replacement outhalf Elliot O'Brien made the initial break before offloading to fullback Eoghan Conran to cross for a try.

The French regained parity only two minutes from the end when they mauled their way over. The teams were tied at 8-8 and with no provision for extra time the final was decided by the shoot-out.

Coach Greg Lynch admitted: "Although we are all disappointed, for the third time in a row this squad has put in a performance of the highest order. France put their top side in this age group out against us and we played some excellent rugby.

"No one could have denied that we deserved to take the tournament and it was a cruel way to lose in the end. But all credit to the players and staff, who worked incredibly hard for the last two weeks.

"This experience will certainly stand to all of the players."

IRELAND: E Conran (Naas); D McIlwaine (Larne), D Barnes (Tralee), E Sheridan (Navan, capt), C Brady (Kilkenny); R Stynes (Carlow), C Mulchrone (St Ambrose College); J East (Sligo), P Molloy (Waterpark), C Higgins (Ballinasloe); M Lenihan (Mallow), C Armstrong (Penzance); S McKimm (RGS High Wycombe), S Dougall (Newcastle Falcons), D Murphy (Galwegians). Replacements: J Robinson (Corinthians), G Duffy (Sundays Well), J MacManus (London Irish), A Kennedy (Buccaneers), C Ingall (London Wasps), A O'Connell (Corinthians), J Dever (Tallaght), L Carpenter (Westport), M Flanagan (Mullingar), E O'Brien (London Wasps).

Thumbs up for change

It seems Queensland Premier rugby (QPR) is the latest competition to give the IRB's proposed law changes the thumbs up. QPR was the first competition in Australia to test out some of the most recently proposed variations.

Three variations have been field tested and are due to be played in Sydney's Shute Shield: the downgrading of most penalty offences to free-kick offences; the restricting of backs to at least five metres behind the rear foot at the scrum; a ban on kicking the ball out on the full immediately after it has been passed back into the 22.

"The game is quicker; it's really set up the game and it's better to watch," says Souths coach Ian Cameron, who reckons the new interpretations could soon be coming to mainstream tournaments.

Cockbain leaves mark

It will be interesting to see if Osprey' Brent Cockbain is punished for his dangerous stamp on the head and face of Munster's Barry Murphy in Saturday's Celtic League game at the Liberty Stadium.

It was a travesty the Australian-born Welsh secondrow got away with the stamping, which merited a straight red card and a hefty ban. Referee David Changleng's assertion he saw the first bit of shoeing (for which he gave Munster a penalty) and not the stamps on the head beggars belief.

Merger must wait

A long-mooted merger of the Lansdowne and Monkstown clubs has hit something a stumbling block. While the Lansdowne club voted (98 per cent) for the joining of the clubs at Monkstown's grounds in Sydney Parade, the Monkstown members were less positive. Only 53 per cent were in favour, so the marriage - which required 75 per cent approval - will need a further period of courtship.