Players may be freed for provinces

FOLLOWING a meeting last Saturday in London between the Ireland manager, Pat Whelan, and the London Irish coach, Clive Woodward, there is renewed hope that there will be a reversal of the decision taken last week by London Irish not to release any of their players for the provinces in the European Cup.

"It was a very amicable and fruitful meeting," said Whelan. "Clive Woodward has promised to go back to London Irish and reassess the position, while it is now imperative that the managers of the provinces get in contact with London Irish. I am contacting the managers to inform them of that."

It is now likely that London Irish will release some but not all of the players. Those who are most likely to be allowed to play for their provinces are those who when they signed contracts for London Irish did in the belief that they would be permitted to play in the European Cup. Other players with the club who made provincial commitments after they had signed for London Irish are unlikely to be released.

There are also suggest ions that some clubs are hiding behind the instructions from the English Professional Rugby Union Clubs (EPRUC). They had contacted the clubs, telling them not to release players for regional commitments, such as the divisional sides in England, and that the instruction was aimed at that rather than the Irish provinces.

Yet Woodward did say last week that EPRUC had issued an instruction not to release players for the provinces but that he would not hide behind any such recommendation and that it had not been a factor in the club's decision to stop the London Irish players release.

Northampton's understating of the EPRUC recommendation was also that they should not release their players.

Whatever about interpretation, the reality last week was that the Irish players had been refused release. Now there is very concrete reason to hope that attitudes have softened.

Following the final series of matches in the interprovincial championship next Saturday, the Ireland squad members will travel to Belfast for two days' training. "There will not at this stage be any amendment to the squad," said Whelan, who watched Richmond play Newcastle on Saturday.

The Leinster side to meet Connacht in Galway will not be finalised until tomorrow but it is expected that the Ulster team to meet Munster in Limerick will be announced tonight.

Leinster have some injury problems. Tight head prop Angus McKeen was taken to hospital for examination on a back injury after the match at Donnybrook on Saturday and both wings, David Coleman and Denis Hickie, have hamstring injuries.

Munster also want to assess their injuries before finalising their side to meet Ulster. Munster will announce their team tomorrow evening. Hooker Paul Cunningham, who missed the win over Leinster, is troubled by a back injury and wing Brian Begley had to leave the field after a heavy knock on Saturday.