Rugby reaction: Officials in the Irish Rugby Football Union and leading figures in the game here remained reluctant to enter the debate concerning the GAA's Rule 42 and Saturday's potentially momentous decision for Irish rugby.

Aside from a guarded welcome for the decision of the GAA's Congress, there remains the question for the IRFU of Central Council making Croke Park available while Lansdowne Road is redeveloped, as well as future negotiations between the two sports bodies.

Mindful of the danger of inflaming a debate that is the preserve of the GAA, and also recognising there remains plenty to be resolved before the possibility Brian O'Driscoll and co might trod the Croke Park turf, senior IRFU figures declined to comment beyond the two-paragraph statement issued on Saturday.

"The Irish Rugby Football Union has always stated that during the proposed redevelopment of Lansdowne Road it would investigate its options of temporary accommodation, both inside and outside the country, taking account of the logistical and commercial perspectives.

"The union respects that the availability of Croke Park was entirely at the discretion of the GAA and its members and appreciates and welcomes the change in policy that Croke Park may now become available for the staging of other sporting events."

While not wanting to appear too celebratory about the decision either, the IRFU undoubtedly see it as a positive development, not least because keeping home games in Ireland is the IRFU's preferred option.

However, recent estimates of the possible cost of hiring Croke Park - such as €2 million - would be seen as highly prohibitive.

Based on an average ticket price of €40, a 70,000 sellout at Croke Park for a rugby international might yield €2.8 million in gate receipts. A rental incorporating a percentage of the gate receipts would seem more likely.

For example, the IRFU charges the FAI a percentage-based fee for hiring Lansdowne Road - in the region of 10-15 per cent of the gate receipts.

The IRFU have informally begun sounding out their fellow rugby authorities in the Six Nations about the cost of hiring their grounds.

Aside from, say, hiring Cardiff's Millennium Stadium for the duration Lansdowne Road is being rebuilt, one option being considered is simply to waive "home" advantage during those two or three years, based on a mutually beneficial share of the gate receipts.

Another option is the new Wembley Stadium, or various football grounds in England.

Then there's the question of when, and for how long, Lansdowne Road is redeveloped. As things stand, the final stages of the bidding for design consultants and project-management consultants are being completed, with decision on those expected in the next few weeks.

It is expected planning permission will be lodged by the end of 2005, and it could be another year before the planning process is completed.

The likeliest scenario is that building might begin in 2007 and could last through 2008 and maybe into 2009.

While autumnal visits of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa would probably fill Croke Park, there is also the question of housing secondary autumn internationals against the likes of the USA Eagles, the Polynesian islands, or even a Six Nations game against Italy or Scotland.

Ideally, rugby, and for that matter football, requires a secondary stadium to house games such as these.