Six Nations bodyblow for players

The latest cancellations in the Six Nations Championship will mean that any arrangement of fixtures will impose huge burdens on the Irish players particularly those involved in Munster’s European Cup bid as well.

Yesterday, the Ireland v England and Scotland v Ireland matches fixed for March 24 and April 7 respectively were called off on the advice of the Irish Government in light of the threat from the foot and mouth disease.

It has been thought that the only immediate concern was the forthcoming match with England in just over two weeks time but, following discussions with the IRFU and advice from the Irish Department of Agriculture, the decision was made to knock both matches.

Now, assuming the crisis abates, these games will be re fixed for May 5/6 and 12/13 respectively. That will mean Ireland’s top players face up to five hugely important matches in quick succession.

Munster, who supply eight players to the current team and possibly up to 16 of their squad between the senior and A teams, are due to face Heineken Cup favourites Stade Francais in the semi final of the competition on April 21 in Lille.

The postponed Wales Ireland match has already been fixed for April 29 and the Irish players would then have to go on to play successive internationals in the following two weeks.

After that, if Munster got through to the European final their players would have to line out in another huge game against the winners of the second semi final between Leicester and Gloucester.

For Munster coach Declan Kidney, who remains tight lipped about the situation, it could be a disaster in that he would not have any real access to the players involved with Ireland in that three week re arranged international spell.

Sources close to the Munster squad deem this development as a potential disaster but, given their past ability to dig themselves out of deep holes in important matches, it might still work to their advantage.

The one problem is that Kidney will not have sufficient time to work with his players in the period between Ireland’s matches to finish this Six Nation’s tournament.

In fact, he won’t have any time at all. The upside of all this is that the players, most of them at any rate, will be exposed to top class rugby prior to their possible involvement in the European Cup final.

There is no news of further postponements in the Championship which, for now, relate only to Ireland’s games.

Wales are due to travel to France on Saturday week and word from there suggests the game may still go ahead.

The French Government have expressed reservations about it but have not yet come out and requested a postponement from the French Federation. The situation is likely to be clarified by tomorrow at the latest.

The final decision to postpone both games came yesterday after a meeting between IRFU officials and representatives from the Department of Agriculture concurred that, in the national interest, it was best to call off the matches.

That came after strong advice and recommendation from the Department who advised the IRFU of a 30 day time limit from the date of the last confirmed case of foot and mouth in the UK.

Meanwhile, IRFU officials will meet with the Department again on Monday next to seek further advice relating to the domestic rugby programme. In the meantime, the IRFU is considering how best to complete a meaningful AIB league programme an impossible task in the light of yesterday’s decision.

While all activity grinds to a halt at home and near to home, the Department has sanctioned visits by the Ireland U18 and U19 teams to Italy and Chile as arranged and also allows those squads and the National senior squads to train subject to the training sessions being closed and all necessary precautions being taken to minimise risk of infection.

That, at least, will be of some consolation to the likes of Kidney and Irish coach Gatland, but scant consolation to the IRFU, hoteliers and the tourist industry in general who now have to wait, hope and pray that the English game will, in fact eventually go ahead.

They all face losing a slice of a £12m bonanza.