The oft-mooted Celtic League last night moved another step forward when the Irish, Scottish and Welsh unions issued a statement confirming a compromise had been reached whereby a ninth club from Wales would be included in an expanded competition, which is now set to include 15 teams as opposed to the initial proposal of 14.
Original plans were for a 14team league in two pools of seven, consisting of eight Welsh teams, four Irish districts and two Scottish districts, but the three unions have announced the introduction of a 15-team league, starting in August and featuring nine Welsh teams.
This compromise is seen as the last significant obstacle to the start of the competition, which will run for an initial period of three years. All that remains is for commercial deals to be finalised and a TV deal announcement is expected soon, along with a major sponsor and a fixture list. It is believed negotiations regarding all of these are well advanced, with BBC Grandstand reputedly set to cover the semi-finals and final.
The joint statement read: "The Irish, Scottish and Welsh Rugby Unions are delighted to confirm that the Celtic League has now been given the go ahead by each Union. Tonight's ratification by the WRU now opens the way to conclude the commercial arrangements, which will generate significant values for the three unions and participating teams. The Celtic League will run for an initial period of three years and will begin in late August 2001."
Meanwhile, one player's loss is another player's gain and the news that Johnny O'Connor's season is most likely finished is countered by the likelihood of Eric Miller's season resuming this week.
O'Connor sustained a broken arm in the Irish A's defeat to France at Ravenhill on Friday evening and will be sidelined for a minimum of eight weeks while Miller is expected to make his comeback for Terenure away to Ballymena on Saturday after sustaining a broken thumb in the Munster-Leinster friendly six weeks ago.
O'Connor, the gifted 21-yearold openside flanker who has been in superb form this season and is one of the players of the season outside of the Test side, underwent an operation on Sunday.
With Galwegians unbeaten and well in the hunt for the AIB League play-offs, and the prospect of a full A campaign to come, it is a cruelly timed blow. Conceivably he could come back into contention in May (with the final two rounds of the league as well as the play-offs) although possibly a more realistic target is the Sanzar under-21 tournament in June.
O'Connor's ill-fortune could create an opening for Miller in the A squad, although with Andy Ward in the Test squad and Kieron Dawson's comeback still a few weeks away, the only other authentic openside in the frame is Liam Toland. Miller had the cast removed and a secondary operation to remove the wiring from his fractured thumb last week and although not inclined to resume full-contact training until later this week he expects to be available for Terenure on Saturday.
"It's been a disaster and the timing was terrible but I'm just raring to get back in the frame," said Miller yesterday. "There's no choice but to play well every chance I get, there's so much at stake. I've been able to train all the way through it and I've even been doing restricted weight sessions. I wouldn't say I've lost any fitness."
Both the Test and A squads for the next championship round of matches in Wales will be announced tomorrow, with the starting line-ups to be revealed next Monday before departure for Wales 48 hours later.
With Rob Henderson rested this week, his shoulder problem should be given adequate rest in what is likely to be both an unchanged squad and unchanged team. Only Keith Wood of Ireland's starting XV last Saturday will be obliged to play this weekend. The Irish captain has the minor mid-championship distraction of the English Cup final between Harlequins and Newcastle at Twickenham next Saturday.
Wales will reveal their hand on Monday. Dai Young's shoulder injury, sustained initially in the European Cup final, is their biggest concern and along with Rob Howley (arm) and Neil Jenkins, may miss this weekend's round of matches. The trio are among a dozen of the Welsh 22 on duty against Scotland last Saturday whose clubs, Cardiff and Llanelli, go toe to toe in a Principality Cup seventh round tie on Saturday.
Scotland outhalf Gregor Townsend will miss the Six Nations clash with England on March 3rd. An initial scan revealed damage to a ligament in his right knee.
