One wonders what the IRFU think of this week's fragrant offer by Brendan Venter for London Irish to become the "fifth province". The Niall Hogan-led group who were forced to take the club to court (and win) for breach of contract and the threatened non-release of players during the Dick Best reign when his assistant backs coach at the time, Ged Glyn, was the England `A' manager doesn't exactly add up to a series of neighbourly acts.

Add the general air of malcontent stirred up by English club owners over their supreme right to make profits from the game, and Venter's offer appears wonderously hollow. And was there some talk of a London Irish under-21 side competing in the Irish under-21 championship instead of the Exiles? Whoa, it's all kiss and make up now.