THE officers of the IRFU wild meet the representatives of the first division clubs in Dublin this afternoon. This follows requests from the clubs for a meeting separate from the meetings held by union with all the All Ireland League clubs.

Payments to players at club level in Ireland next season is certain to figure high on the agenda today.

The clubs will also be seeking clarification on recent developments in European rugby. They are also likely to request that the names of the players who will be contracted to the IRFU next season be announced as soon as possible. That issue appears to have run into something of a stall at the moment.

One of the outstanding issues centres on the contracts for English based players who will be in the Ireland squad. It will be in everyone's best interests if outstanding issues are resolved as soon as possible, even it means announcing only the names of the Irish based players who will be contracted.

Meanwhile, the movement of players continues as the June 1st registration date approaches.

The Ulster scrum half Andy Matchett has decided to drop down two divisions and has moved from Ballymena to Portadown.

Another scrum half, Stephen Belt, has moved from Malone to Dungannon. Next season Dungannon will be led by the former Ireland A, under 21 and schools international hooker Michael Patton. Patton is a former captain of Oxford University. He played for Bangor before he moved to Dungannon. He succeeds another hooker, Hugh McGaughey, as Dungannon captain. McGaughey retired after leading the club to a fourth successive win in the Ulster Senior Cup last season.

It is also anticipated that Blackrock College's international wing Niall Woods will be playing his rugby with London Irish next season.

. The Wallabies will play internationals against Italy, Ireland and Scotland and against the Barbarians at Twickenham