Irish query cost of return trip

IRELAND expect to learn today the new date for their postponed RBS 6 Nations clash with France with the Irish Rugby Football Union also keen to discuss with tournament organisers who will pick up the estimated €45,000 tab for the additional weekend in Paris.

Six Nations officials are weighing up whether to play the game on Sunday or in three weeks, on the weekend of March 2/3/4, following a night of confusion at Stade de France on Saturday, where referee Dave Pearson called off the game six minutes before kick-off as temperatures plummeted to -3C with a windchill factor of -8C and the pitch rapidly deteriorated in patches, making it “dangerous” and “unplayable” less than two hours after being passed fit for purpose. While there were no dissenting voices about the postponement among the squads and management teams, the costs of funding away trips are incumbent upon the incoming team.

“We will certainly be bringing it up with the Six Nations about how our costs for the game might be affected. That will certainly be part of the discussions,” IRFU spokesperson Karl Richardson said.