Hobson's choice for IRFU

THE IRFU is faced with the unpalatable prospect of excluding one of the remaining three provinces from the Heineken Cup if Connacht win the Parker Pen Challenge Cup.

Connacht face Harlequins in the semi-final first leg at The Stoop on Sunday week, with the home leg at the Sportsgrounds in Galway on April 25.

If they win the Cup, they qualify as of right for the 2004-2005 Heineken Cup, and with Ireland limited to three sides in the senior competition, the IRFU will be faced with the decision to axe one from Munster, Leinster and Ulster.

How they arrive at the decision to drop one of the three will be fraught with danger and controversy and the issue is something that the powers that be in Lansdowne Road are not looking forward to. Ireland will nominate their teams based on performances in the 2003/2004 ERC tournaments, which would allow Connacht to qualify as the third Irish province if they win the Parker Pen.

It was confirmed yesterday that the Welsh and Scottish participants and seedings will be determined on their finishing positions in the Celtic League. This, however, will almost certainly not be the case in the IRFU deciding which of Ulster, Munster or Leinster stays in the premier European rugby competition.

Meantime, England could be represented by seven teams in next season's Heineken Cup but must outperform their French rivals in the current tournament to claim the extra place.

European Rugby Cup yesterday revealed that Wales have agreed to provide one regional side to the Parker Pen Challenge Cup next term, freeing up a space in the Heineken Cup which will be awarded to either England or France.

The nationality of the seventh team will be determined by which country proves more successful in this year's competition, setting-up the possibility of the May 23 final being a battle between England and France for cup glory and increased representation.

The Zurich Premiership is guaranteed to provide one semi-finalist courtesy of Wasps' all-English showdown with Gloucester, but the French clubs have all been matched with opposition from other countries, so their presence in the last four is not certain.

Should neither nation provide a side to the final, then the nationality of the seventh team will de determined by the superior performer in the semi-finals. ERC chief executive Derek McGrath said: "the space will be determined by the best results in the tournament.

The semi-final venues for the competition were confirmed yesterday, with Bordeaux's Stade Chaban-Delmas, Murrayfield, Lansdowne Road and Paris' Stade Charlety the possible settings.

Tickets for the Twickenham final have virtually sold old the finalists will be entitled to 12,500 each while all but a handful of the remaining 50,000 have already been snapped up.

"We learnt a lot after staging last year's final at Lansdowne Road where we had difficulties selling tickets, so this time we've been very positive and aggressive in our approach. We do want a complete sell-out," said McGrath.

"The phenomenal interest so far clearly demonstrates that although we are over three weeks from knowing the finalists, the event is regarded as a lot more than just a match.

"The climax of the European club rugby season is now looked upon as a not-to-be-missed occasion, the main event on the club calendar. I'm sure there will be a fantastic atmosphere at the final."

ERC will revert to the normal format for next year's Heineken Cup with two rounds of pool stages being staged before the November internationals, two rounds after in December and two rounds in January.

The quarter and semi-finals will be held in April with the final scheduled for the weekend of May 21-22. Meanwhile, Scotland centre Tom Philip has been cleared after citing to the Six Nations disciplinary committee for a following a high tackle on Brian O'Driscoll in the defeat by Ireland at Lansdowne Road.

An SRU spokesman said: "we are pleased with the outcome of the Six Nations Disciplinary Committee. Tom is now available for selection with immediate effect for his club Edinburgh Rugby."

Philip is not part of the Gunners' team for the Celtic League clash with Gwent Dragons today but is set to play in the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Toulouse next weekend.