Louis Luyt seems certain to ignore the South African National Sports Council's calls for his resignation. The South African Rugby Football Union (SARFU) supremo is prepared to persevere with the brinkmanship in which both sides are prepared to indulge.

South African rugby's version of Russian roulette is set to begin in earnest next Thursday, May 7th, the date by which the Sports Council have demanded that the executive of the SARFU, including Luyt, resign or face the consequences.

Those are quite simply that the Sports Council, as articulated by chairman Mluleki George, will seek to ban all incoming tours including those of Ireland, Wales and England and also try and force the cancellation of the Tri-Nations series involving South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

Luyt and his acolytes have incurred the wrath of George because of what the latter considers to be the failure to integrate black players on something more than a token basis in South African national squads.

An interesting aside to the current tussle involves the central characters, Luyt and George. Earlier this season they contested an election to preside over SARFU with Luyt polling four times as many votes as his rival.

The IRFU are understandably monitoring the situation closely, given that they are due to embark on their tour 17 days later. Informed opinion in South Africa suggests that the ANC government, despite a dislike for Luyt and his methods, will not intervene either publicly or behind the scenes to help the Sports Council.

They do not want to be associated with the boycott of a democratically elected body. Instead many feel that this will be a litmus test for the Sports Council and one where their frothy threats may be blown away leaving them with nothing of greater substance than demonstrations and pickets.

Meanwhile Shannon have rested several of their All-Ireland winning side for tonight's Munster Senior Cup clash with Old Crescent at Rosbrien. Brian Roche, who enjoyed a short spell with Bath this season, is at full-back with squad members Alan McGrath, Billy O'Shea and Dave Sheehan introduced in the backline.

Noel Healy and John Deegan join John Hayes in the front row. Eddie Halvey moves to partner Kevin Keane because of an arm injury to Mick Galwey. Colm McMahon starts in the back row.

The clubs have agreed that this match can be combined, not only to decide the Munster Cup match but also the Floodlit Cup final: the winners will be doubly blessed.

Shannon under-20s will also be busy this weekend as they compete in the All-Ireland Under-20 championship. The Limerick side face Instonians in one semi-final with holders Blackrock College taking on Corinthians in the other. Both matches take place at Naas RFC on Sunday with the final and a third/fourth place playoff scheduled for Monday.

Three Irish referees, Dave McHugh (Munster), Bertie Smith (Munster) and Alan Lewis (Leinster) have been awarded international matches on the new merit-based system initiated by the International Board.

McHugh will referee the prestigious Bledisloe Cup clash between New Zealand and Australia in Auckland on August 25th. Lewis will take charge of the World Cup qualifier between Australia and Fiji in Sydney on September 18th while Smith officiates at another qualifier, Morocco's clash with the Ivory Coast on September 19th.

Shannon: B Roche; B O'Shea, A McGrath, R Ellison, D Sheehan; J Galvin, G Russell; N Healy, J Deegan, J Hayes; K Keane, E Halvey; A Quinlan, A Foley, C McMahon.

Old Belvedere: B Treacy; D Keogh, S Cushion, R Monaghan, R Browne; B Murphy, D Ward; N McCarthy, J Mion, G O'Neill; M Henderson, C Gleeson; D Shanley, C Johnston, M Erikson.

Additional Fixtures Tonight - Munster Senior Cup - Old Crescent v Shannon, Rosbrien, 6.30.

Sunday - All Ireland Under-20 semi-finals (Naas) - Blackrock College v Corinthians, 2.30; Shannon v Instonians, 4.0.

Monday - All-Ireland Under-20 Championship (Naas) - 3rd/4th play-off, 1.30; final, 3.0.