Niall Hogan, the Irish captain less than two years ago but currently unattached after being summarily let go by London Irish in July, is returning to Dublin and will probably decide which club to join within the next week.

The 27-year-old former Terenure College scrum-half refuted the rumour that he had joined Old Belvedere. "I don't know myself, yet. I'm looking to come home and play my rugby in Dublin. I've been talking to a few of the clubs but I don't know where I'll end up."

A qualified doctor, Hogan intends to concentrate on his rugby for the next year or two. "If a full-time contract happened to come along I would take it. Long-term, I would be looking to play up until the World Cup, and then I'd be thinking of retiring."

Meanwhile, World Cup organisers have confirmed that the original draw for next year's finals has been amended slightly, which has potentially significant repercussions for Ireland.

Contrary to what the International Board told this newspaper less than a fortnight ago, apparently it is no longer the case that the top two in November's qualifying group in Ireland - almost certainly Ireland and Romania - would then go into the same group in the finals.

Instead, there will be a re-draw involving the three runners-up in the European qualifying groups. This means that, should Ireland top their qualifying group ahead of Romania, the latter will then go into another draw with, most probably, Italy and Spain, to decide which of those three is placed in the Scottish, English and Irish groups.