GAELIC GAMES: Incoming GAA president Seán Kelly wouldn't have any objection to watching Ireland's potential Grand Slam decider against England being played out beneath the executive level in Croke Park.

There's no chance of it happening given that the rugby match is in three weeks but Kelly remains convinced that it is in the GAA's interest to open up headquarters and make use of the association's most valuable asset.

"It was nice to see them win on Saturday and I believe that the GAA takes pride in Ireland doing well in any sport. In Kerry (Kelly is the first GAA president from the county) we have a particular affinity with rugby because of players like Mick Galwey who I played against and Moss Keane with whom I went to school."

The GAA's Rule 42 is still a barrier to other sports being played at Croke Park and although the matter has been hotly debated over the past two years, there is a sense that agreement to open Croke Park is no nearer. As well as being a sporting pluralist Kelly is aware of the financial necessity of using the headquarters venue as a revenue engine.

The motion two years ago failed by a single vote after the Government had undermined the financial rationale by promising a75,000,000 - only half of which it is now willing to pay. "I see that money as vital," says Kelly of the unpaid grants. He will take office with debt servicing costs of a4,000,000 per annum clocking up on the Croke Park redevelopment. "We will be hoping that whatever the Government does for the FAI and IRFU (in relation to a proposed joint soccer-rugby stadium) will be at least matched by what it will do for the GAA in recognition of what we've already achieved ourselves."

Anyone present at Lansdowne Road on Saturday couldn't help but be impressed by the amount of money that the IRFU is haemorrhaging due to a lack of capacity and facilities in their ground. Less than half of the 49,500 capacity is made up of seated accommodation - compared to well over 60,000 at Croke Park.

On the basis of the IRFU's a57 stand ticket price, the use of the Jones's Road venue would bring in an extra a2,000,000 - even before the terraces and executive levels are taken into account. It's not unreasonable to see the GAA benefiting to the tune of at least a million. "You can see the benefits for everyone," says Kelly. "I think soccer and rugby followers would come back to football or hurling matches. There is an interest amongst sports supporters in most games played at the highest level."

It will be revealed today whether the abolition of Rule 42 is to be on the clar for next month's annual congress. Assuming it is - motions have been tabled - Kelly believes that the debate will be decisive.

"The motion was beaten by a vote two years ago and beaten comfortably at the last congress so it's hard to see it being brought up for a while if it's defeated again. If a few years go by and the new (FAI/IRFU) stadium gets under way the opportunity to be involved may pass us."

One of the big factors influencing the drop in support for the abolition last April was the perception that the opening of GAA grounds would not be restricted to making Croke Park available.

Kelly says that he is "concerned" at recent assertions that it would be difficult to separate Croke Park from other venues in any relaxing of Rule 42. "I don't see why it can't be done, for three reasons. One, Croke Park is unique in not being run by a county board so it doesn't have a team training on it. Two, the size and scale of it sets it apart and three, its running costs are so much greater than any other pitch.

"It's only a matter of drafting the rule for the Official Guide. There are other rules that contain exceptions and those exceptions have held up."