It will be interesting to observe what action, if any, the IRB take against the France captain, Fabien Pelous, for his blatant elbow into the face of the Australian hooker Brendan Cannon during Saturday night's Test in Marseilles. The incident took place nowhere near the ball and was simply a piece of gratuitous violence.
Quinnell calls it right
This column would like to pay tribute to the former Llanelli, Wales and Lions legend Scott Quinnell, who was the only member of the Sky Sports team - studio or commentary - who had the courage to call the incident correctly, describing it as despicable and calling for the book to be thrown at Pelous.
Will Chignell and Stuart Barnes offered wishy-washy censure while the former Springbok Bobby Skinstad volunteered some mitigation, saying it was out of character.
It doesn't matter. What Pelous did has no place on a street never mind a pitch. At least Quinnell recognised that and wasn't afraid to speak up.
Sexton shades it
Belfield on Saturday was the arena for two talented young outhalves to square off. Jonno Sexton and Killian Lett, who have both represented Ireland and Leinster at underage, clashed while playing for St Mary's and UCD respectively. Sexton shaded the honours with a powerful running display and good all-round game, while Lett kicked tidily.
Sexton's display suggests that sooner rather than later he will be handed a Leinster contract, though that could be preceded by a starting role for the Ireland under-21s this season.
By the way, this column would just like to point out that despite information to the contrary for the second year in succession, Keith Doyle was educated at CBC Monkstown and not Blackrock College. The latter have enough underage players to fill the Point. The former wouldn't fill a bedsit.
A team head west
Ireland A will be one of six teams to contest the Churchill Cup in 2006. They will be joined by England A, Canada, USA, New Zealand Maoris and Scotland A. The English, American and Canadian rugby unions, who form the Churchill Cup alliance, agreed to the new structure. Two pools of three teams will play on both coasts of North America, all six teams travelling to Edmonton, Alberta, for the finals.
2006 CHURCHILL CUP
Saturday June 3rd: England A v Scotland A, Toronto; USA v Ireland A, San Francisco.
Wednesday, June 7th: Canada v Scotland A, Ottawa; USA v NZ Maori, San Francisco.
Saturday, June 10th: Canada v England A, Toronto; NZ Maori v Ireland A, San Francisco.
Saturday June 17th: All three finals, Edmonton.
World Cup tickets
The ticketing sales programme for the 2007 World Cup began on Saturday with the first block released to players, volunteers, administrators, spectators and officials throughout Europe. RWC 2007 is the first tournament for which match tickets and ticket packages are being sold over the Internet.
To find out more about the programme visit www.rugbyworldcup.com or www.france2007.fr
From January 2006 packages including match tickets and travel will be available through officially appointed travel agents worldwide and in April certain city and team packages will be available via the Internet.
Finally, next autumn individual tickets go on sale, including tickets for the knockout stages.
Colourful occasion
The 54th Colours Match takes place at Donnybrook next Friday as Dublin University try to break UCD's recent stranglehold on the competition. The fixture will for the second successive season double as an AIB All-Ireland League Division One match.
Last year's match produced a fine, open contest that culminated in a nail-biting draw (20-20), UCD retaining the Colours Trophy.
The Colours Match dates back to 1952, when the inaugural game was played at Lansdowne Road and Tim O'Toole's UCD defeated a Trinity team captained by Robin Roe 13-6.
In 1952 four full internationals played in the fixture, and another six who lined out that day would go on to win full caps.
Kevin Croke (UCD), a product of CPC Kilcullen, and Matt Crockett (Trinity), who attended Brynteg Grammar School in Wales, will be Friday's captains.
With the annual contest now well past its 50th birthday, UCD lead the roll of honour with 31 victories. Trinity have won 18 times, and there have been four draws.
In recent years Roger Wilson, Kieran Lewis and Jamie Heaslip have turned out for Trinity in the Colours Match, while UCD have fielded the likes of Brian O'Driscoll, Ciarán Scally, Des Dillon, James Norton, Paddy Wallace and Shane Moore.
This year UCD may be in a position to include Leinster contracted players Brian O'Riordan, David Blaney, Eoghan Hickey, Robert Kearney, Ronnie McCormack and Simon Crawford. Trinity can call on Ulster Heineken European Cup squad member Niall Conlon.
Former Leinster forwards coach Bobby Byrne is part of the UCD coaching ticket 20 years after he captained a victorious UCD side in the 1985/1986 match.
Friday's match offers the players from the two universities one last chance to impress the selectors a week before the revived Irish Universities side meet their Scottish counterparts in Cork (Friday, November 18th).
PAST COLOURS MATCHES
10 years ago: Trinity (Ray McIlreavy) 19, UCD (John Ryan) 13.
20 years ago: UCD (Bobby Byrne) 16, Trinity (Gary McMahon) 3.
30 years ago: Trinity (John Robbie) 18, UCD (Jimmy Burns) 3.
40 years ago: UCD (John Murray) 13 Trinity (Dave Buchanan)* 0.
50 years ago: UCD (Billy O'Gorman) 6 Trinity (Paddy Moss)* 6.
*Acting captain.
