Planet Rugby

House that for a deal?: It seems the couple who offered their house for Cheltenham week in exchange for tickets for last weekend's Heineken European Cup pool match between Munster and Gloucester at Thomond Park had a whale of a time.

Ralph and Kathy Hole booked flights and accommodation as soon as the pools were made known but could not get their hands on tickets for the match. Ralph came up with the clever idea of placing an advertisement in the Limerick Leader newspaper offering their house in Charlton Kings in exchange for six match tickets.

There was a big response and the couple set off with four friends. Kathy, a keen Munster supporter, admitted: "We had an incredible weekend. I must have had about four hours sleep in those four days. Limerick was just rocking." Her husband also had a great time, even allowing for the fact that he is a Gloucester fan.

The couple still have to arrange precise details of who, or how many, will be arriving on the front doorstep for Cheltenham week.

Book stops with Melville

It seems Gloucester didn't know whether they were coming or going - and not just on the pitch last Saturday week. We're talking about an affair that has been affectionately termed "taxi-gate". Having initially denied through an official club source that a photostat of their game plan had ended up in Munster hands prior to the game, the English club later went on to admit that it had.

Director of rugby Nigel Melville conceded it was indeed a copy of their playbook for the match but he went on to rubbish the idea that it had been found in a taxi, instead alluding to some underhand Munster tactics. The inference was that the hotel in which they stayed may have been responsible, or at least somebody there.

It seems Melville himself was being a little economical with the truth after Gloucester sources played down any sort of conspiracy theory, pointing the finger squarely at Melville. While Munster confessed to having only a passing interest in the document and several players pointing out that they hadn't seen it, it appears Melville will be called upon to explain just how the piece of paper came to fall into the hands of the enemy.

That and perhaps a long and detailed explanation of just how Gloucester, four tries and 26 points to the good, could somehow lose the match by four tries and 27 points, and with it the financial and playing bonanza of a place in the Heineken European Cup quarter-finals.

Still they did manage to qualify for the Powergen English Cup semi-final by thumping Saracens on Saturday, probably still small compensation for what happened the previous week.

Kiwi tour players wanted

The success of last year's tour by the Irish Shamrocks Rugby Academy, under the guidance of St Mary's College coach and RTÉ pundit Brent Pope, to New Zealand has copper-fastened a return visit this summer.

Pope is once again looking for junior players, preferably between the ages of 18 and 23 inclusive, to travel with the Shamrocks and be based in Christchurch from June to mid-July. There they will not only play matches but also line out with local clubs and receive top-class tuition. Former Ireland hooker Ross Nesdale is just one of the coaches who will take specialist clinics.

The price, depending on air fares, is about € 3,300, and that includes flights, transfers, accommodation, food (three square meals a day) and membership of the Canterbury gym for the six weeks the party is in New Zealand. Playing gear will be sponsored. It is a great opportunity for players and clubs to help an individual, or individuals, to develop within the sport, offering them a chance that would otherwise not be open to them.

Those interested can contact Brent Pope at 01-2897043 or e-mail him at info_at_shamrocksrugby.com.

Boutique and the beasts

Life's just not fair sometimes - at least that's the view the Leinster forwards will be taking this week. Traditionally they would not be short a disparaging word for "les girls", their affectionate term for the backs, but the beefy brothers are likely to be nursing an additional grievance or two.

Ireland's captain and Leinster centre Brian O'Driscoll and Irish and Leinster wing Denis Hickie received a call-up to model in the celebrity section of the recent Brown Thomas fashion show, a difficult and demanding task when one considers the presence of Heidi Klum and supermodels of that ilk.

The forwards, though, received a communiqué that their day was coming, some time this week, to be a little more precise, to strut their stuff as models. The only drawback was that it would be for a segment on TV3's Ireland AM programme. Still no problem getting out of bed for a chance of a modelling tip or two.

Unfortunately for the boys it is for the boutique, Mr Big, in Goatstown that they are required. We're not sure who the lucky boys are but suffice to say, they're bound for a little ribbing if they do land the modelling assignment for the outsize boutique.

O'Driscoll's nice number

It seems Brian O'Driscoll has followed in the footsteps of such legendary French giants as Philippe Sella and Serge Blanco. While Sella has his own fashion label, 111, after the number of caps he won for Les Tricolores and Blanco is no less sartorially resplendent in clothes from his 15 label, O'Driscoll has his foot, or perhaps more correctly two feet, on the rung of that ladder.

The Irish captain, who turned 24 last week, now sports boots with the number 13 on the back of the heel, probably just as a courtesy to all those defenders he leaves in his wake. Did you get the number?

AIB Team of the Month

J Lacey (Shannon), J Smyth (Lansdowne) , G Brown (Blackrock), J Downey(Clontarf),  J McWeeney (St Mary's) M Leek (Lansdowne), A Page (Galwegians), D McFarland (Galwegians), B Jackman (Clontarf),  D Clare (St Mary's), M McCullough (Ballymena),  B Buckley (Shannon) S Rooney (Lansdowne),  D Dillon (UCD),  S O'Donnell

(Clontarf).

At the end of the season an Irish Times/AIB Team of the Season will be chosen to mark the outstanding league performers in their respective positions and those players will be honoured at a banquet where they will receive individual trophies. Above is the team of the month for December/January.