Planet Rugby: Alan Quinlan and Peter McKenna were the guest panellists on Setanta Sports last weekend, analysing the two Celtic League matches involving Munster and Leinster.

Anchor man Mark Robinson was rightly surprised when, seeking the opinion of the Munster forward Quinlan, he and the viewers heard the recognisable ring of a mobile telephone emanating from some place very close indeed. Unperturbed Quinlan reached to the inside of his jacket to fetch his handset before Robinson stepped in. "Don't answer it," he warned. "We're live on air," he added, just in case the big man didn't know (Hello ma, no, no two spuds are fine, just two. And plenty of gravy yeah, see ya later). While McKenna could hardly keep a straight face, Robinson kept the show going before signing off "It was probably Eddie O'Sullivan looking for you for the Wales match."

Carlow look to roots

Carlow have finally come around to making the decision to find, or, return to their roots. As a result it is unlikely any overseas players from the paid ranks will, in the future, be seen playing their rugby at Oak Park. Carlow, not unlike many AIL clubs, cannot afford to effectively compete in Division One of the AIL and are slowly reverting back to the family-orientated, community-based type club. Where once they attracted crowds of 2,000 to their AIL matches, the numbers have dwindled to about 300 or 400. In tandem with having no feeder schools, Kilkenny College aside, paying overseas players to come to Carlow was the only way they were able to compete.

"Many in the club are relieved we are going back to where we came from," said a club official.

It is likely more clubs will follow as paying for imports at club level has become obscenely expensive. For some clubs, it seems, amateurism is the best way forward in the professional era.

RFU back down

It appears the England Rugby Football Union has conceded that legally they had no right to withhold monies owed to Premiership Rugby clubs (PRL) for the release of Lions players on last year's tour. The clubs directly affected were Leicester Tigers, London Wasps and Sale Sharks. Leicester were owed £30,000 for Martin Corry and Julian White's participation. The release of the players for the tour was governed by a separate agreement with the British and Irish Lions and not by any of the agreements with the RFU.

Strangely the RFU chose the legal course of action despite two separate offers by the clubs last year on how to resolve matters and as a result of pressing ahead, significant cost was incurred. In addition, the RFU has discontinued attempts to terminate their long-term agreement with the clubs, which runs through until 2009. This comes in the wake of the English High Court making two separate awards of costs against the RFU because of its failure to correctly plead a case. Strike one for the little man.

Naked passion

The military precision needed for some of the performances at Donnybrook need to be seen to be believed these days. The Leinster Schools' Cup, for all of its intensity and tears, is also a bit of a mid-week pantomime. And so last week when Old Belvedere played Gonzaga few cared when the naked man ran across the pitch and accepted tremendous applause from the eager crowd. His exit was even more impressive as the security mobilised in a pincer like movement around the ground. But so pleased were the Gonzaga faithful that when the nude performance artist reached his support group they formed a human shield between him and those, who would most likely have shown him the door. No amount of cajoling or persuasion would shift the burly Gonzaga fraternity, who stood firm, their arms folded and chins out until the streaker melted in among his own, clothed and triumphant.

Humphreys's plight

Debate rages in Leicester over the imminent arrival of Munster outhalf Paul Burke. With Andy Goode in possession of the position, Burke's arrival is seen as a covering move and very much back-up. But what does that mean for the developing Ian Humphreys, younger brother of soon-to-be former Irish outhalf David.

With Goode holding the number-one place, Humphreys and Ross Broadfoot were jockeying for the number-two berth whenever the opportunity arose. Now with Burke parachuting in on top of that arrangement what is to become of the younger Irish player. Will he have to rough it on the development team at Leicester with little prospect of getting a game on the senior team or will he move on?