Financial pressures lead to axing of ‘A’ games by Six Nations

ALL ‘A’ internationals for next season’s Six Nations tournament have been scrapped.

The Six Nations Committee issued a statement last night confirming they have postponed all ‘A’ internationals.

The decision follows last season’s withdrawal of Wales and Scotland from the ‘A’ competition as both unions looked to ease their growing financial problems.

The Committee’s statement read: “The Six Nations Committee has agreed that no ‘A’ matches will be played during the 2004 season.

“Certain Unions have recently indicated that, largely for financial reason, they would not be fielding an ‘A’ team during the coming season.

“Despite the wish of the remaining Unions to continue, it was eventually recognised and agreed unanimously that a suspension of “A” team matches was the sensible approach.

“The Committee remains committed to international competition below full national team level, and the Under-21 tournament in particular, is recognised as an essential element of the season.

“However, a full review of the future of the ‘A’ team and other sub-full national team matches will be undertaken during the coming months to determine what continuing part they have within the international rugby calendar.”

The news is not surprising according the IRFU. “ We knew that this was coming, so it comes as little surprise. Anyhow we were running out of opposition after the withdrawal of the Welsh and the Scots from the competition,” a spokesperson said yesterday.

“But we feel confident that with the advancement of the Celtic League, the European Cup and such like that there will be sufficient representative fare for the players who may otherwise have been on the A squad.”

Incoming Welsh Rugby Union chief executive David Moffett wasted no time in pulling the plug on Wales’ involvement in a bid to save cash and Scotland quickly followed suit.

Moffett’s decision was unpopular both at home and with the other Six Nations unions who have used the ‘A’ internationals to blood Test stars of the future - several members of the current Irish squad, including Donncha O’Callaghan, Marcus Horan, Kevin Maggs, Shane Byrne and Gary Longwell have played for the second string.

But Scotland’s subsequent exit left just four teams in the competition, prompting the Six Nations Committee to postpone all ‘A’ matches for next year.

The Six Nations’ loss is English club rugby’s gain, however, as the Zurich Premiership has taken advantage of the ensuing gap in the fixture list to stage three rounds of the 2003/04 league campaign, potentially spelling the end of midweek games.