Rugby Union: Scots and Irish join forces

SCOTLAND and Ireland are joining forces to try to develop a bigger pool of potential international players by setting up a joint inter-provincial championship.

The tournament, to be introduced in season 1993-94, involves four representative sides from each country meeting midweek and on two Saturdays during an intensive period in late October and early November.

The results of these matches will be carried over into inter-district series to be held in the lead- up to the Five Nations' Championship, after which the winner will be determined.

Exiles sides will be excluded, leaving players in England and Wales free to concentrate on club commitments.

Bob Munro, the chairman of a working party set up to report on Scottish representative rugby, described the competition as 'an exercise in mutual help' and said Ireland was similar to Scotland in that their strength lay in the provinces more than the clubs.

The development was welcomed by Ian McGeechan, a member of the Scottish working party, which also included his fellow coach, Jim Telfer, team manager Duncan Paterson, technical administrator John Roxburgh and the Scottish Rugby Union's chief executive, Bill Hogg.

McGeechan noted the greater resources in England and Wales, saying: 'This is a significant step forward for Scottish rugby which will, hopefully, enable us to offset the numerical advantages enjoyed by some opponents.'

Fixtures in Scotland's top two national leagues will be brought forward to start on the second Saturday of September and run for seven weeks before resuming to be interspersed with the Five Nations programme. Lower league matches will start later and coincide with a representative schedule which will no longer contain an international trial, the concept having finally been scrapped.

Hogg anticipated no complaints from clubs. He said: 'We run the risk of being left behind if we delay any further. A successful international XV is good for everyone in the game and changes are being made with that ambition in mind.'

As part of the restructuring, Hogg indicated that a Scottish Cup could begin in season 1994-95 given the approval of clubs.

It was also announced that the Edinburgh-born Frank Dick, the director of coaching to the British Amateur Athletics Board, had agreed to assist the Scottish Rugby Union's honorary fitness adviser, David McLean, on a voluntary basis.

Brian Moore will be fit to play for England against Canada at Wembley on Saturday week despite injuring a shoulder in Saturday's league match for Harlequins at West Hartlepool. 'There is a slight tear and bad bruising, but I am thinking of playing on Saturday against London Scottish,' Moore said.

Middlesex RFU have asked Harlequins for their comments on an incident in their Courage League One game against Wasps two weeks ago when their lock, Simon Dear, was felled in a line-out.

Stuart Davies, Swansea's captain, strained a muscle in his left buttock during last night's Welsh training session dens, but expects to be fit to face Italy at Cardiff Arms Park tomorrow.