There was little positive reaction in Ireland to yesterday's nuclear option taken by the French and English clubs with regard to the Heineken European Cup. From Irish coach Eddie O'Sullivan to IRFU chief executive Philip Browne, Heineken Events and Sponsorship Manager Pat Maher and Llanelli chief executive Stuart Gallacher, the description of the position taken by the boycotting clubs ranged from "disappointing" to "suicidal".
O'Sullivan, in Belfast watching the Irish under-19 team face Australia in their opening World Cup match, has long viewed the European Cup as close in standard to international rugby.
"It is a huge disappointment this has happened," he said. "The Heineken Cup has served Irish rugby very well. It has been a huge benefit in terms of promoting the game and developing the players, and as I've said before, it is as close as you can get to Test rugby.
"Suddenly that is not available now and I think it is going to be a big blow to the professional ranks. The Magners League has a role but it does not have the intensity of the Heineken Cup, which I believe will take a lot of replacement.
"The advantage for the national team is that playing against England and France at club level is huge for players when they come to meet them at international level."
IRFU supremo Browne sees far-reaching repercussions. Sounding angry and perplexed, he said, "For the world game to be strong, Europe has to be intact and strong. The viability of rugby has always depended on the founding nations and the Sanzar nations. At the end of the day the Six Nations will be impacted if the professional game is destabilised.
"There are some serious, serious issues and this will have a significant financial impact on Ireland as well as in England and France. As someone else said today, 'For someone who has given so much to the game (Serge Blanco), he will be remembered as the person who destroyed professional rugby.' The untold damage done to the game in Europe will strike at the game worldwide."
But as an administrator Browne has to retain some optimism. Part of his job is to ensure the best needs of Irish rugby are served, and so he has not given up despite the lugubrious mood emanating from Paris and England.
"While it is extremely disappointing, one would hope that there is still the possibility to bring things back," added Browne. "The issue now is that we have got to try and retrieve the situation."
Our Welsh counterparts were equally unhappy about Blanco's "non-reversible" conclusion to yesterday's meeting, most of all Llanelli's Gallacher.
"It will cost £500,00 for each Welsh region," he said. "It is a fifth of our budget. It will be a huge blow to the Welsh sides just as it will be for the Irish and the Scots."
As for sponsors Heineken, they voiced equanimity laced not only with disappointment but also with a balancing dose of optimism. Irish boss Pat Maher invested his hopes with the unions and stakeholders.
"It requires the governing bodies to see what can be salvaged," said Maher. "The signals had been there but all we can do is wait and see what the ERC and other stakeholders can bring.
"One would hope that given this year in France there is a showcase for world rugby, maybe they can come together and see some rationale in this."
And what of the cost to the sponsors?
"We haven't gotten anywhere near (discussing) that," added Maher. "We're disappointed, the fans are disappointed, the players are disappointed. People are also making their living out of this and they may feel uncomfortable. And even clubs who are signing players may think harder."
The RFU were, naturally, riled.
"Suicidal," raged their chairman, Martyn Thomas.
Wanderers go to court in stadium dispute
The dispute between Wanderers RFC and the IRFU over the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road has again flared up and threatens to stall redevelopment of the stadium, writes Johnny Watterson.
The Dublin club claim the IRFU wrote to them saying they (the IRFU) could and would demolish the Wanderers Pavilion, situated pitchside, with or without the permission of the club.
Wanderers have now resorted to the courts and sought permission for short notice: an injunction to prevent the IRFU from proceeding with the demolition.
Yesterday the IRFU released a statement expressing regret at the Wanderers move and claiming they (the IRFU) had the right to develop the stadium: "The IRFU wishes to state its regret and disappointment at the course of action by Wanderers FC. The Union does not believe that there is merit in the actions of Wanderers FC which seek to prevent the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road.
"The IRFU will, on behalf of the clubs and rugby fraternity of Ireland, be robustly defending its position and its right to redevelop Lansdowne Road for the good of Irish rugby."
Wanderers want equal rights with Lansdowne RFC and a presence in the new stadium in the form of a corporate box. They say they have already compromised on their allocation of international tickets.
