Rugby: The war of words involving the IRFU and the international players intensified yesterday in advance of today's rearranged meeting between representatives of the two parties to discuss the issues of tour fees, match fees and win bonuses, which threaten the upcoming tour of South Africa. Gerry Thornley reports.reports

It was last Friday when the chief executive of the Irish Rugby Union Players' Association, Niall Woods, first notified his IRFU counterpart, Philip Browne, that the players would not travel to South Africa if the union were refusing to increase the tour fees or win bonuses. Yet curiously, given the squad are due to depart on Saturday week, it has taken five days to arrange their latest round of discussions, at 2.30 this afternoon, following a meeting of the IRFU's management committee yesterday.

In the interim, the attitude of the union and the players has only hardened, in light of comments by Philip Browne on radio yesterday. Browne repeated many of the facts and figures he had uttered in the preceding 48 hours to the print media, namely that the top 26 players were being paid basic salaries totalling €4 million and received €50,000 in separate match-related payments last year, that these payments are benchmarked with the Scottish and Welsh unions, and that IRUPA's "demands" would cost the union an additional €500,000 per annum.

Browne added that the implications for Irish rugby of such an outlay would be significant, and that the projected deficit for next year will be €6 million. The Union had "pushed the boat out" with regard to "basic retainers to our players and long-term contracts". But this portrayal of the players as greedy has only stiffened their resolve, and prompted Woods to come out fighting yesterday with a round of television and radio interviews, as well as a strongly worded statement.

Pointing out the IRFU have been aware of this issue since February, he commented: "The lack of consultation between the IRFU and IRUPA since February sums up the attitude of the Union to the professional players. It is entirely wrong for the IRFU to make a statement to the effect that the players are issuing demands. The players have not issued any demands, rather they have suggested extremely reasonable figures for negotiation. The IRFU must be realistic in its dealings with IRUPA."

Woods accused the union of showing a lack of respect, citing the postponement of Monday's meeting - when Woods was informed by a journalist - as an example. Noting that playing careers "are notoriously precarious and short-lived", Woods added that "the basic salaries of the top players . . . would be significantly higher if these players were based overseas".

"The facts of the situation are as follows: There has been no increase in the match fees or win bonuses since the 1998/1999 season. The players renegotiated their current individual contracts in 2004 on the premise that the match fees and win bonuses were being negotiated between the IRFU and IRUPA directly.

"A player who played an international in 1996 was paid more to play in match fees than a player is paid today in match fees. The IRFU is more than happy to compare Ireland off the pitch to the likes of Wales and Scotland while at the same time comparing Ireland on the pitch to the likes of England, Australia and France.

"International ticket prices have increased by over 80 per cent since 1998. Over the last five seasons of the Six Nations, Ireland is the second most successful team in the competition.

"All IRUPA is asking for is to negotiate a reasonable increase in the match fees and win bonuses for the first time in six years."

Whereas the IRFU and the IRUPA are negotiating over the former's initial offer of €2,500 as a tour fee and a compromise figure believed to be in the region of €4,000, it is worth noting that the tour fee in New Zealand two years ago was €6,000. The match fee for Irish players has remained at €1,270 and win bonuses at €3,810, making comparisons with the Welsh match and tour payments interesting reading.

On their forthcoming tour of Argentina (two tests) and South Africa (one test) the Welsh players will receive a tour fee of £3,000 (€4,500), and win bonuses of £2,000 (€3,000) for one test win over the Pumas or £5,000 (€7,500) for winning both tests, as well as a bonus of £3,000 (€4,500) for beating the Springboks. And the Welsh RFU are an estimated £70 million in debt.

Browne refuses to countenance the consequences of cancelling the tour or bringing out a non-unionised squad, saying "that is jumping the gun".

Last night the union issued a statement expressing disappointment with the tone and content of the IRUPA statement, "In particular, the notion that the IRFU does not respect the players is grossly unfair . . ." and pointing out that the IRFU helped set up the IRUPA, that they made "a special gesture" of a bonus payment for winning the Triple Crown, and that while ticket prices have increased by 80 per cent since 1998, "salaries to most Irish international players have increased by up to 200 per cent".

Referring to the Triple Crown bonus, Woods says he met with IRFU officials on the Monday before the last leg of the Triple Crown against Scotland to argue the players' case for a bonus. The Union initially baulked, saying the Triple Crown had been devalued, before three days later agreeing to bonuses of 1,500 per man for each of the three games.

This added up to a one-off payment of 99,000, but most of this will be defrayed by a special Triple Crown lunch next Thursday to be sponsored by O2, which players must attend.

Either all of the foregoing is so much bluster or it will be fun to be a fly on the wall at 2.30 today.