The IRFU's hopes of a resumption in domestic rugby next week will hinge on the outcome of the suspected foot-and-mouth case discovered in Tyrone yesterday. The union were unaware of the suspected outbreak when they met Department of Agriculture officials at lunch-time.
That meeting was attended by the Minster, Joe Walsh, and senior department officials while the IRFU was represented by president Eddie Coleman, chief executive Philip Browne and honorary treasurer John Lyons. The union released the following statement in which they outlined a hope that provincial schools' rugby might resume early next week and the AIB Leagues on Saturday, March 24th.
However in the light of events yesterday, the critical line of the release is that these ambitions would only be realised if there were no further cases of foot-and-mouth found on the island of Ireland in the interim. Once again the union pointed out that it was on the strong recommendation of the Department of Agriculture that they had agreed to further postpone the resumption of domestic rugby until next week at the earliest.
It was also confirmed that the IRFU will meet the Department again on Thursday, when the Department's "expert advisory group" will advise the Minister on the most prudent course of action. The union had hoped that they might be given the green light to resume the schools' rugby competitions early next week and the AIB league the following Saturday. The Tyrone case will be crucial to those aspirations.
The IRFU also confirmed that it "has agreed that the Ulster Branch should be guided by the Department of Agriculture (Northern Ireland) as regards any relaxation in relation to local fixtures under the jurisdiction of the Ulster Branch."
Meanwhile, the IRFU has made tentative arrangements for a two-match tour to South Africa in preparation for what they hope will be their final three matches in the Six Nations Championship against Wales, England and Scotland. The proposed date for departure to South Africa is March 26th.
Ireland will play their first game against, as yet unspecified opposition, on March 31st with a second match, probably against a composite side on April 7th. The touring party would return home the following day and coach Warren Gatland would then select a Rest of Ireland team to play Munster on April 14th, in preparation for the latter's European Cup semi-final against Stade Francais a week later.
Munster were hoping to play Llanelli in a warm-up but that meeting will not now take place. The whole South African expedition in contingent upon Ireland being able to complete their Six Nations programme. Given that the IRFU has agreed, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, to allow a further 30 days to elapse from the last foot-and-mouth case reported in Britain, it appears unlikely.
With no end in sight, Ireland's ability to fulfil their next proposed Six Nations game on April 29th looks increasingly tenuous. The Tyrone incident could further compromise any possibility of Ireland taking any further part in this season's tournament.
Leicester's Geordan Murphy did not travel to Limerick yesterday for the Ireland training session after the back injury he sustained in Saturday's English Premiership clash with Northampton rules him out while Rob Henderson took no part in yesterday's training after suffering a chest injury in a club game on Sunday. Jonathan Bell was drafted into the squad for the two-day session.
