Planet Rugby

Compiled by John O'Sullivan

Eddie's fine feedback

Credit where it is due. Ireland rugby coach Eddie O'Sullivan proved there could be a career after rugby for him when the time comes following his performance on RTÉ's television show The Restaurant. The format demands various personalities are invited - usually one per week - to become head chef at Ernie's Restaurant in Donnybrook, Dublin.

They have a professional team working for them but must decide on their own menus, which are critiqued by not alone members of the public who chose from the menu but also regular food critics Tom Doorley, Paolo Tullio and last week's guest critic, chef Oliver Dunne.

These are just some of the things the critics said. Doorley admitted: "I have to say I thought the rhubarb and redcurrant crumble was pretty awful, to be brutally honest. Trying to decide what the was best was a difficult one. But I chose the tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms because I came as close as I ever will to actually licking the plate when I was done. Superb."

Tullio pointed out: "The tagliatelle starter was stonkingly delicious - it was just fantastic, my favourite of the whole meal. But I like scallops the way they are. I didn't like the addition of the soy sauce to them here. Things should taste of what they are."

Finally Dunne observed: "The seasoning throughout the meal was fabulous, spot on. I didn't like rhubarb-and-redcurrant crumble at all. It was way too sweet and the sugar wasn't cooked off properly. My best was the skate. It was really moist and the potatoes were fabulous."

New year's resolution

This column swore it was going to keep its new year's resolution of trying not to be critical of officials whatever the provocation. It's not going to be easy on the strength of Saturday's shenanigans at the RDS.

Once again it was a classic case of the referee being left to fend for himself. It seems there are two types of touch judges: those who cannot stay quiet and try and officiate by proxy and those who maintain a monastic vow of silence that would be the envy of the Cosa Nostra.

Right in front of touch judge Simon McDowell, Leinster outhalf Felipe Contepomi was taken out off the ball. He was scragged around the neck and held so he could not link up with a break by his team-mates.

McDowell was no more than five yards from the incident but did not draw attention to it, until an incensed member of the Leinster backroom staff chose to make his feelings known in no uncertain terms.

Only then did McDowell act, calling over the fourth official to tell him to remove the Leinster protester.

There was widespread dissatisfaction among supporters with regard to the performance of referee Alistair McKay.

In mitigation - he didn't have a great afternoon - it should be pointed out that McKay is not a regular whistler at this level. His primary experience comes from officiating at AIB All-Ireland League Division Two matches. He looked a little nervous and wasn't helped by the incessant vocal exhortations of the players.

It prompts the question: does anyone sit down and discuss the performance of the officials in the IRFU and try and help them avoid the repetition of mistakes?

Fulton fits in at Bath

Former Ireland coach Brian Ashton resumes his club career at his beloved Bath, the outfit with which he cut his coaching teeth at senior level.

Since then he has coached Ireland and England A as well as taking charge of the English academy and helping out with coaching some of their underage teams, including the England under-19s.

He takes over from former Australia hooker Michael Foley, who returns home to compete for coaching vacancies with both Queensland and the national side, following the sacking of Eddie Jones.

One of Foley's last acts, apart from selecting the Bath team for today's English Premiership match against league leaders Sale, was the recruitment of former Auckland scrumhalf Billy Fulton until the end of the season.

Martyn Wood has been sidelined for the rest of the season with a neck injury while Andy Williams is likely to figure in Wales's plans for the forthcoming Six Nations Championship.

Bath required back up for Nick Walshe, and Fulton, a 27-year-old former NZ Maori, Otago Highlanders and Auckland Blues star, certainly fits the bill.

Not only has he considerable experience at NPC and Super 12 level, Fulton has also proven himself on the Premiership stage with NEC Harlequins and more recently, Northampton Saints.

Foley enthused: "Billy joins us as injury cover for Martyn Wood, who we hope to see fit and ready for the start of next season.

"Both Nick Walshe and Andy Williams have been playing good rugby in an inside backs division that has been going well and he will have a good contest on his hands."

The good news for Leinster fans is Fulton is ineligible to play for Bath in the pool stages of the Heineken European Cup so will not be featuring when the Irish province travel to the Recreation Ground in their final pool outing later this month.

Aussies move quickly

It's interesting to note how the Australian rugby union goes about replacing coaches at the top levels. Following on the decision to remove Eddie Jones as national coach an announcement is expected on his successor sooner rather than later.

The ARU are also thought to be in a position to reveal the successor to former Australian flanker and current Queensland coach Jeff Miller, who steps down in 2007.

The Australian union had first intended to name Jones's replacement in April but that would have left little time before the June Tests.

Queensland are anxious to make their decision known so as to avoid speculation during the Super 14, which kicks off in February, something that might prove a distraction.

It's interesting to note the process that Queensland are happy to observe. They have a panel that will make recommendations to the union.

Former Australian and Queensland prop Dan Crowley, Australian and Queensland wing Ben Tune (who is the players' representative), David Cody (the former Wallaby flanker), and Bob Murphy (the Queensland rugby union's high-performance manager) have been charged with compiling the shortlist and making recommendations.

Foresight. Now that's not a word you hear often in Irish rugby circles.

Kids load the poll

There is a poll on the official Irish rugby website (www.irishrugby.ie) that asks for people to vote on Irish rugby's best achievement of 2005.

According to the results posted on the website, 494 people had voted by Sunday morning last, with 11 per cent opting for the first suggestion: "The 11 Irish players named in the Lions squad".

The next choice, "Ireland's Six Nations win against England", commandeered 22 per cent of the total, eclipsing the eight per cent that opted for "Munster's Celtic Cup triumph".

Six per cent decided on "Shannon winning their seventh AIB All-Ireland League title", but in truth none came close to the whopping 51 per cent that opted for "Ireland Schools' wins against England, France and Wales".

It just goes to show that young people are obviously more computer literate, have more time on their hands and will happily row in behind any sort of campaign.

We'd like to know how two per cent of the votes came to be spoiled because, with just our primary school maths qualifications, we make out the percentages given total 98.