Reid kicks off politicians' rugby match

Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid paused briefly from monitoring Ulster peace process developments around the clock today - for strictly sporting reasons.

A track-suited Dr Reid formally kicked off at the start of a rugby fixture in Dublin between British and Irish politicians.

The match is regularly played to coincide with the Six Nations Competition Ireland-England game at Lansdowne Road, Dublin every two years.

This time both games had to be rescheduled because of the foot-and-mouth crisis that forced the widespread postponement of sporting events throughout Ireland for a period of weeks earlier this year.

Today’s British 15 included Labour MPs Ian Davidson, Andrew Reed and Huw Edwards, Tory Nick Hawkins and Liberal Democrat peer Lord Addington.

In the Irish side was a Fianna Fail party member of the Dail Sean Power and Fine Gael’s Simon Coveney, Michael Cread and Gerry Reynolds.

Dr Reid arrived in Dublin yesterday for a review of peace process developments with Foreign Minister Brian Cowen.