Munster school side on English mini-tour

DEFENDING champions Munster begin their preparations for the forthcoming schools interprovincial championship with a mini-tour of England next weekend.

A panel of 26 was chosen after yesterday’s trial in Limerick in which the Probables defeated the Possibles by 36-24 for matches against Worcester U-19s on Friday and Gloucester Schools on Sunday.

Crescent Comprehensive back-row forward Barry O’Mahony will skipper the side. On their return, Munster face UCC U-19s on Wednesday, October 27.

MUNSTER panel for England tour: Backs: R. O’Sullivan (Crescent), C. Aherne (Crescent), S. McKeown (PBC), P. Carroll (Crescent), M. O’Driscoll (Rockwell), M. Kinsella (St Munchin’s), P. Rowley (St Munchin’s), S. Cronin (PBC), P. Thompson (Rockwell), K. Earls (St Munchin’s), M. South (Crescent), E. Broderick (St Munchin’s).

Forwards: B. Lynch (Crescent), D. Keogh (CBC), N. Keogh (St Munchin’s), R. Leonard (Crescent), A. Cotter (St Munchin’s), G. Slattery (St Munchin’s), F. Magee (Glenstal), M. O’Leary (PBC), C. Canning (Rockwell), K. Roche (Rockwell), B. O’Mahony (Crescent), D. Gardiner (St Munchin’s), F. Cross (St Munchin’s), E. Nugent (PBC).

England RFU chief executive Francis Baron has backed the idea of moving the RBS 6 Nations to the end of the season.

Independent consultants will draw up proposals to restructure the northern hemisphere season to relieve “pressure points” which spark regular club v country rows.

None of the four recommendations Deloitte & Touche have made so far are said to be radical, but they do mean changing dates “at the margin”, something Baron supports.

“We are prepared to look at all the options,” he said.

The Six Nations is played in February and March but the suggestion is to move it to April and May and run it into the summer tours.

The danger would be that players reach the top games of the season out on their feet. How would sponsors and broadcasters feel?

“The Six Nations could move a bit later and I don’t think that would affect the commercial value,” said Baron.

“The possibilities that have the mileage in them are where you move them by four weeks or so and you are relieving pressure points where you get the clashes.”