RUGBY:As expected, the Irish squad for the forthcoming tour to South Africa went into camp last night and will begin training this morning in preparation for the Bloemfontein and Cape Town Tests after the IRFU and the Irish Rugby Union Players' Association resolved their dispute over tour fees.
The beginnings of the breakthrough originated on Friday evening when the IRFU chief executive, Philip Browne, contacted the IRUPA chief executive, Niall Woods, and intimated a willingness to reopen talks.
The 26-man squad for South Africa had feared the union would follow through on their ultimatum that tour contracts be signed by tomorrow whilst refusing to budge from their final offer on the vexed issue of a tour fee of 4,500 per man; there was a genuine fear the players would not train today and the nightmare scenario of withdrawing from the tour would grow more likely.
It was, however, always unlikely it would come to that, given the unimaginable consequences of such withdrawal for the union, the players and the game here in general. Ultimately, the compromise figure, though some way short of the estimated 7,000 to 8,000 the players were asking, was 5,000 per player, with an additional, undisclosed, increase to the 3,810 win bonus.
That only applies for the forthcoming Tests in South Africa, though significantly the union have agreed to sit down with IRUPA after the tour and renegotiate match fees and win bonuses, which haven't budged since 1998.
The principle having been established, this settlement was readily acceptable to the players.
"It wasn't an ideal situation but at the end of the day it's been sorted and the players can start getting on with their preparation for the tour," said Woods yesterday. "Hopefully lessons have been learned on both sides and a situation like this can be avoided in the future."
He described the agreement to renegotiate match fees and win bonuses as "a big step forward".
"It's good for both parties that we actually got the thing sorted out," admitted Browne yesterday. "It's important that the tour went ahead and equally important that it went ahead on the basis of a satisfactory conclusion for both parties.
"Certainly we are satisfied with what we got out of it and I'm sure the players are happy with what they got out of it as well."
For Browne it is particularly satisfying that on Saturday evening he and Woods agreed to parameters that, henceforth, will prevent such issues having to be resolved so late in the day again.
The IRUPA and Woods have undoubtedly emerged stronger from this unedifying saga, although it may not have done much for relations between the union and the players.
Unlike a similar row between the Welsh union and their players - which rumbled on until the day of their departure for Australia last summer - at least this dispute didn't carry over into this week, and for that Eddie O'Sullivan will be particularly grateful.
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