RUGBY:One of the minor mysteries of the mid-winter thus far was that no fixture had fallen foul of the inclement weather - although players and supporters alike probably wish one or two had be rained off.
But despite the best efforts of the Ulster Branch and their ground staff yesterday, the eagerly awaited Ulster-Munster Magners League match was cancelled after the pitch had lain under approximately four inches of snow for most of the day.
With the Munster squad having travelled up on Thursday, over 12,000 tickets sold and the Setanta outside-broadcast unit having travelled up from their overnight base in Dundalk, all concerned had been eager for the game to go ahead.
The "health and safety of spectators" were, however, as much a concern as the pitch when the final decision was made to postpone the game in mid-afternoon following another heavy snowfall.
The ground staff had done clearing work with a tractor in the morning and Ulster had contracted a company to grit the promenade, terrace and concourse later in the day, but, as a statement put it, "with supporters travelling from all over the province for the match and treacherous conditions on the roads, not to mention within the ground itself, it was felt it would be impossible to proceed."
The Ulster statement added: "Ticket holders are advised to hold on to their tickets, which will be valid for the new date, and to ensure that they are not lost as we will be unable to reissue them. If the rearranged date is unsuitable, supporters will be issued with a refund."
Aside from the possible loss of revenue and logistical difficulties in addressing the demands of those among the 12,000 who might look for refunds, and with their incoming head coach, Matt Williams, among those due to attend, Ulster had desperately wanted the game to go ahead.
The postponement will also, of course, have been just as disappointing for Munster, given they could have given game time to their replacements Paul O'Connell and Doug Howlett prior to next Sunday's crunch Heineken European Cup tie away to Clermont Auvergne.
A similar scenario befell Munster in 2006 when a waterlogged pitch at Stradey Park in late March forced the postponement of their Magners League game away to Llanelli - their only game post-Six Nations prior to the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Perpignan.
In the event, they were obliged to play the Ospreys and Llanelli away four days apart in May - losing both times - though they did beat Perpignan en route to conquering Europe.
At least O'Connell will get game time this weekend; a Young Munster spokesman confirmed last night he would play 40 minutes of their Division 2 league game against Buccaneers at Clifford Park.
Celtic Rugby will decide when the Ulster game will be played and it also seems likely Munster will be the big losers, no matter the date, for if it is pencilled in for the blank weekend at the end of January or during the Six Nations, they are liable to be missing their Ireland frontliners.
