Toulouse ask for Leinster tie to be played in Dublin

Toulouse have asked permission from European Rugby Cup Ltd (ERC) that their Heineken European Cup tie against Leinster be switched from Toulouse to Dublin at the weekend as a mark of respect to the 18 dead and 650 injured after a chemical factory explosion in Toulouse. The club cancelled this weekend's game against Stade Francais.

Extracting the phoenix from Murrayfield ashes

Ireland's dreadful performance in Murrayfield on Saturday will prompt a public outcry for changes ahead of the trip to the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, October 13th, when Warren Gatland's men face Wales. While Irish players toiled to little effect against the Scots, two Irishmen enjoyed their Saturday afternoon. Paul Burke contributed 23 points for Harlequins in their victory over Wasps - seven penalties and a conversion - while wing Matt Mostyn grabbed a breakaway try for Newport in their victory over Bridgend.

In a perverse way, Ireland's dismal showing in Edinburgh could enhance the Irish provinces' prospects when the Heineken Europe Cup begins next weekend. Given the number of substandard performances, several of the provincial squads will feel that a couple of good displays in European competition could propel them ever closer to the national team. Ironically, the four provincial coaches, Steph Nel, Declan Kidney, Matt Williams and Alan Solomons, could reap the benefits in Shield and Cup from the ashes of a bleak day in Irish rugby.

Charvis proves his point by scoring a hat-trick

Speaking of motivation, Wales and Swansea flanker Colin Charvis (below) managed to provide substance to his feelings that he was harshly treated on the Lions tour in terms of being overlooked for a Test place with a three-try contribution for Wales in last week's thrashing of Romania. Charvis suffered a largely miserable time in Australia, despite playing well, losing out to a patently unfit Lawrence Dallaglio and then being cited which kept him out of another Test. He eventually did win a Test cap.

Charvis was keen to have a 'clear the air' chat with Lions and Wales coach Graham Henry - he was not the only Welshman to feel hard-done-by. The consolation of last week's achievements was that he became the first Welsh forward since Jehoiva Hodges in 1903 (it was against England at St Helen's) to score a hat-trick of tries. Indeed, although a forward, Hodges actually played on the wing that day. Charvis now joins Scott Quinnell as the joint leading try scorer (seven) for a Welsh forward.

Rugby body gets tough on pitch incursions

European Rugby Cup Ltd (ERC) has attempted to cut back on the number of incursions onto the pitch during this season's European Cup matches. In a bid to prevent the world and his brother from running onto the pitch during a break in play on the pretext of offering someone a drink, ERC have laid down some new rules.

There will be a technical zone marked on the side of the pitch and only four people from a team's backroom staff will be permitted into this area: the team manager, the doctor, the physiotherapist and the person given responsibility for running out with the kicking tee. They have further stipulated that only two people, the doctor and physio, are permitted on the pitch. Any players who wish to have a drink must make their way to the side of the pitch where the technical zone is situated. ERC also confirmed that in the case of a play-off match extra-time has been reduced from 15 minutes to 10 minutes each way.

Rolland is halfway to becoming an 'all rounder'

Alain Rolland's great achievement in following Ham Lambert to both play international rugby and then referee at that level is something that will be celebrated in Irish rugby circles. As the former Blackrock College, Leinster and Ireland scrum half remarked at one stage, tongue-in-cheek, "I used to referee from scrumhalf anyway". Rolland though will not be able to emulate the remarkable feat of New Zealander Eric Tindell. He played for the All Blacks and then followed up by refereeing at international level including a series in which New Zealand played. Not alone that, but he also played cricket for the Land of the Long White Cloud and then went on to become a Test umpire. Definitely a person for whom the sobriquet 'all rounder' was coined.

Revered Moon just refuses to lie down

It is impossible to keep a good man down and that certainly appears to be the case with Llanelli and Wales scrum half Rupert Moon. Over the years this combative scrum half has shipped more than his fair share of injuries but continues to battle on at Stradey Park where he shares the number nine duties with Ireland's Guy Easterby. Although his international prospects appear to have receded, Moon displayed admirable determination in trying to maintain a national presence, albeit off the pitch this time.

For the Romania game last week, Moon guested as the match announcer at the Millennium Stadium alongside former judo and power lifting champion Non Evans, the current Wales Women's rugby team full back. Evans, a bone fide journalist, made the announcements in Welsh while Moon offered the anglicised version. As one Welsh observer remarked: "We are going to have to shoot Moon to get rid of him."

Rugby Speak

"Ireland will still be a big danger to Wales, who ought to take some lessons from the way Scotland defended, and will be up to giving England a tough game. But yesterday was their big chance and they blew it." Former Wales outhalf and current BBC rugby pundit Jonathan Davies offers a pretty blunt assessment of Ireland's underachievement.

"Graham and I had a chat. There had been disappointment from both parties. We aired our grievances and it's been resolved. It's good to have a successful working relationship. If you make 10 points, and seven are positive and three are negative, everybody picks up on the negative." Welsh flanker Colin Charvis and Welsh coach Graham Henry seem to have mended a few fences.

"I have heard of the idea of people taking bandages with crimson strains onto the field which are then taped to the heads of players before they are led off." Bob Dywer, coach to the New South Wales Waratahs, explains one method of cheating the blood bin rule, a vexed issue in the current international rugby climate.