Planet Rugby

Tie to tradition: You'll be surprised to hear that the seat of democracy in Ireland, the house of the Oireachtas, has similarities with a number of the most exclusive golf clubs in Ireland. The common factor is that it is difficult to gain access to either without a jacket and tie.

An IRFU delegation of chief executive Philip Browne and treasurer John Lyons recently met the Oireachtas Committee for Arts, Sports, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht affairs in Leinster House.

The issue of Connacht's future and the alleged perilous situation of IRFU funds were up for discussion and so The Irish Times despatched reporter Johnny Watterson to hear what the IRFU had to say.

Dressed casually, our reporter was swiftly but politely shown the door. Having summoned "The Captain", the polite but firm man in dapper dress who appeared to be in charge, our reporter was told it is now a rule that while attending such functions a jacket or blazer and tie must be worn.

Pointing out that a meeting with the Irish Sports Council in the same location last year required no such attire held no sway with "The Captain".

"If you don't let me in (to the seat of democracy) I can't do my work," our reporter mewed.

"It is the rule," said the Captain.

"Is it a new rule?" asked our reporter.

"No," said the Captain.

"Is it an old rule being enforced now?" asked our reporter.

"It is the rule," said the Captain.

The blazers win out again.

Leinster lose Lion

A heinous crime was committed in Donnybrook recently with the confirmation that vandals had smashed their way into the Supreme Odds portakabin located near the Bective Rangers pavilion and made off with the head of Liam the Lion, the Leinster senior rugby team's mascot.

Obviously in the interest of a quick getaway they decided to ignore the feet and body but did strip the cuddly lion of his Leinster jersey.

The dipsticks that committed this crime now have in their possession one Leinster jersey and one Lion's head.

Unfortunately for the Leinster Branch they had to order a whole new Lion outfit that has to be imported from England at a cost of about 500. This time they have taken the precaution of ordering an extra head and presumably no longer leaving the costume in a portakabin.

Better news is that the Gardaí are following a definite Lion of inquiry.

Ball switch

Could it be the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) has finally seen the light. Having rowed in behind the team sponsors adidas in the use of their ball, the NZRU is now to switch to Gilbert for their home Test matches this season.

David Humphreys and Ronan O'Gara had a terrible time with the adidas ball on last summer's tour to New Zealand and even All Black outhalf Andrew Mehrtens was moved to make some very unflattering comments about it.

However, NZRU deputy CEO Steve Tew has stated the fact that Gilbert balls would be used in this year's World Cup meant that it was sensible for the All Blacks to use the official ball as much as possible this year.

Tew explained that as a result of the recent contract renegotiations with adidas, a number of sponsorship properties were released for the NZRU to separately sell to generate extra income. One of those properties was the ball.

"The NZRU was also keen not to lock New Zealand rugby into using a particular manufacturer through to the end of the adidas agreement in 2011," said Tew.

Gilbert balls are already used for the Super 12 as part of a separate sponsorship through SANZAR. They will also be used for the Philips International Rugby Series, the Philips Tri-Nations Series and the Air New Zealand NPC.

Ticket time

It seems that no matter how hard we try to make the competition for those coveted Lansdowne Road tickets, there is no end to the rugby knowledge of our readers. This week's winner of the family ticket for Leinster's Heineken European Cup quarter-final (v Biarritz, April 12th) is Ian Lynam, who correctly identified that two members of the current Leinster squad who played in the FIRA under-19 World Cup final match against France were Brian O'Driscoll (centre) and Aidan Kearney (number eight).

Such has been the demand for tickets that we are now only able to offer two terrace tickets to the Leinster game. This week's question is - Ireland won that FIRA final 18-0 against France - who scored the Irish tries? Answers to josullivan@irish-times.ie.

Spain reign

Spain are a step closer to qualifying for the Rugby World Cup In Australia later this year after a 33-16 win over Tunisia in a crucial repêchage match at Stade Evelyne Jean-Baylet in Valence d'Agen at the weekend.

One might recall Spain complained that the Russians had included ineligible players in a match between the countries. The International Board expelled Russia from the competition after substantiating the allegations. Spain were sent through to meet the Tunisians.

Tunisia led 13-3 at half-time but the "Spanish Lions" managed a very impressive final quarter to the match. There were some 2,000 spectators at the match in Valence d'Agen, amongst them the president of FIRA-AER, Jean-Claude Baque, the president of the French Federation, Bernard Lapasset, and the president of the Spanish Federation, Alfonso Mand.

Spain will now go on to play two further repêchage matches against the USA, at home on April 12th, and in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on April 27th. The winner of those repêchage matches will qualify for the World Cup's Pool B, alongside France, the 1999 World Cup finalists, Scotland, Fiji and Japan.

Competition winner

Congratulations to the winners of the Ross O'Carroll Kelly competition - they will be notified in the next 10 days - who correctly identified the school he attended as Castlerock College. They will receive a specially commissioned T-shirt and a copy of the new book, The Orange Mocha Chip Frappuccino Years.

Incidentally those want to but cannot get their hands on the first two Ross O'Carroll Kelly memoirs, both of which exhausted their 5,000 print run, will be pleased to learn that the O'Brien Press has plans to reprint them.