Scots back Irish decision to postpone Six Nations championship clash

UNBEATEN Six Nations rivals Ireland and England were last night still in the dark on when their postponed championship clash will take place.

The game, originally scheduled for March 24 in Dublin, was called off by the IRFU on advice from agriculture officials.

Six Nations organisers set aside May 5/6 and 12/13 as alternative dates, having provisionally rearranged Wales v Ireland in Cardiff on Sunday, April 29.

But both those weekends clash with the Premiership play off semi finals and final in England, causing considerable flashpoint potential.

England’s top clubs fear play off sponsors Zurich could withdraw their significant cash backing if the tournament is devalued through leading players completing unfinished Six Nations business instead.

Saracens owner Nigel Wray has already said he will not release players for England duty on those stipulated play off dates.

A united stance by the clubs seems certain under their umbrella organisation, English First Division Rugby.

The clubs feel they are in this position through no fault of their own and will expect their governing body — the Rugby Football Union — to go into bat for them during talks with Six Nations organisers.

Mr Wray blasted: “At one level, this is staggering bad manners to us and sponsors. It seems we’re being hammered again.”

English First Division Rugby chairman, Tom Walkinshaw said: “We’re being squeezed at both ends. We’re the only ones being disrupted. Why is that?

“These play offs affect qualification for Europe. That could be worth £750,000 to a club.”

Informal discussions about the fixture chaos took place in London and Dublin yesterday, although neither the Six Nations committee nor RFU anticipated making any official statements.

The Scottish Rugby Union has accepted the decision by their Irish counterparts to call off the match between Scotland and Ireland, scheduled for Murrayfield on Saturday, 7 April. SRU chief executive Bill Watson said: “Although it’s disappointing that the match has been called off, we understand the rationale of the IRFU.

Mr Watson stressed that Scotland’s next match in the Six Nations Championship — against Italy at Murrayfield on Saturday, March 17 — is still taking place and that the union would continue to help to minimise the risk of any further spread of foot and mouth.

At home, Dublin tourism chiefs have spoken of the “terrible disappointment” that the clash between Ireland and England had been postponed.

The March 24 fixture would have sparked an anticipated 15,000 strong English invasion of Ireland’s capital city.

“We are devastated that this should happen,” said Frank Magee, chief executive of Dublin Tourism.

“It is terribly disappointing, not only the match being postponed, but also losing the St Patrick’s Day parade and world cross country.

“But the show goes on, and the city remains open for business. Dublin is fortunate in that there is a buzz around the place every weekend. We sympathise with the farmers during this time.

“The atmosphere and excitement of an international rugby weekend will be lost in the short term, but if the game takes place in May, then I am sure that the same numbers of fans will arrive.”