Players again caught in club v country row

THE club v country issue. has arisen again in relation to the Ireland. rugby squad.

Ireland manager Pat Whelan wants all members of the national squad, including the team to meet Western Samoa on Tuesday night. and the Ireland A side to play thee Junior Springboks the same afternoon, to attend the training sessions which start in Limerick today. However, some of the English clubs want their Irish players for crucial league games on Saturday.

The Ireland sessions run until Sunday, when the players will travel to Dublin.

Whelan said last night: "Problems have arisen, but I want to make it clear, as I have consistently done, that any player who does not turn up for the sessions will not play for Ireland in either of the matches.

"Nor am I prepared to release] the players to return and play for] their clubs on Saturday. I did not release Munster players to play for the province on Saturday, and the same applies to everyone."

The problems of the English clubs were clearly outlined yesterday evening by Northampton director of rugby, Ian McGeechan, one of the clubs with players in the Irish squad.

Bristol, for whom David Corkery and Paul Burke play, have a league match against Leicester, who include Eric Miller, on the Ireland A side. Saracens, who include the Wallace brothers, Paul and Richard, as well as Paddy Johns, meet Harlequins for whom Keith Wood plays Northampton, with Allan Clarke and Jonathan Bell, meet Bath.

McGeechan summed up the clubs' feelings: "The first we heard about the players' release for the Ireland squad sessions was when we received a letter from the IRFU on Monday, informing us of training sessions. We have not heard anything since from anyone.

"We play what is our most important match so far this season against the champions Bath in the league on Saturday, and both Allan Clarke and Jonathan Bell have been chosen for that match and we want them to play.

"I have been a national team coach and know the demands and requirements as well as anyone in that area. The last thing I would wish to do is in any way to put a player's international career in jeopardy. I am very happy to cooperate with Ireland and all countries, but there must be some give and take.

"We have released our Irish players every time a request has been made this season, but I do not think it unreasonable for us to have to.he services of our players on Saturday. There is an obligation on us in relation to the release of players for national teams and we have and will continue to discharge it.

"The Ireland match against Western Samoa and the A match are not on until Tuesday. Players are being put into a very difficult position if they are told they will not be able to play for their country if they are not at the sessions. But the clubs must be due some consideration.

"As it is, we are already weakened by the requirements of Scotland for the international against Australia on Saturday. It is imperative to us that we have our two Irish players in the league match. Surely that is understood and surely it is reasonable," McGeechan concluded.

Bristol and Saracens had both informed their players that they must play for the clubs on Saturday. The Ireland manager says he does not want any of the players to play in league matches four days before the international.

Newcastle's match against Rotherham has been postponed. Newcastle have two players involved in the sessions, Nick Popplewell and Ross Nesdale, who is a replacement for the Ireland A side.

Nesdale, from New Zealand, will be having his initial experience of Irish rugby. His selection was surprising, for while apparently he expressed an interest in declaring for Ulster earlier this season, this did not materialise and he has had no involvement with Irish rugby at any level.

"I know nothing about the player have never seen him play," said Ulster manager Ken Reid. "Nor has our coach Tony Russ. I have had absolutely no contact with him and do not know what, if any, Ulster connections he has.

To compound matters further, two more Ireland internationals are moving to the Courage League in England.

Wing Darragh O'Mahony and scrum half Alain Rolland are coining second division league club Moseley.

They will link up there with two other Irish players, international prop Henry Hurley and Ireland A centre Martin Ridge. Hurley signed for the club at the start of the season and Ridge enlisted a few weeks ago.

O'Mahony (24), has been capped twice for Ireland. He made his international debut against Italy in Treviso in May 1995 and played against France in the quarter-final of the World Cup in Durban the following month. An injury at the start of last season curtailed his activity for several months.

Rolland (30), has been capped three times. He has captained Ireland A and Leinster as well as Blackrock College, and this season kept Ireland captain Niall Hogan out of the Leinster side for all but the last two pool matches in the European Cup. He toured Australia with Ireland in 1994.

Rolland will, I understand, continue to live in Dublin and will travel at the weekends for Moseley's matches.