THE dispute between the Munster junior clubs and the Munster branch will be carried an important stage further today - and, one hopes, towards resolution - when it is discussed at a special general meeting of the IRFU Council at Lansdowne Road.

That meeting is scheduled for noon, and the IRFU officers will then meet representatives of all the Irish senior clubs at 3.0 pm. This will be the third such meeting since January.

The strenuous feelings of the Munster junior clubs that they have a just case found expression last season when they imposed a boycott on branch competitions' In which senior clubs participated, notably the premier competition open to senior and junior clubs, the Munster Junior Cup.

That boycott was subsequently lifted in what one might interpret as a gesture of goodwill by the junior clubs. But some of the problems have not been resolved. Earlier this season, the IRFU president, Dr Syd Millar, travelled to Munster and was briefed on the difficulties.

The Munster junior clubs believe, and with some substance, chat their position with the branch compares very unfavourably in some respects with the junior clubs attached to the other ranches, Such issues as branch representation at executive and general meeting levels and allocation of international tickets are high on the agenda of some of the matters the clubs want addressed.

The meeting between the IRFU officers and the senior club representatives will not involve the council of the union. The presidents and honorary secretaries of the branches have been asked to attend the meeting, as well as one representative from each club.

Millar will brief the clubs on the latest developments in relation to European participation next season, and the renewal of the television contract for the Five Nations Championship. The question of payments to player at club level in Ireland from next season will also be on the agenda in what should be a frank and open exchange of views.

"The purpose of the meeting is to give everyone the opportunity to discuss all the relevant issues and to update the clubs on recent developments in the game," said Millar yesterday.

Meanwhile, outside half Johnny Woods and prop Angus McKeen, who missed Lansdowne's victory over Wanderers in the quarter final of the Leinster Senior Cup because of return to the side to meet Old Belvedere in the cup, semi final at Lansdowne Road on Sunday.

Old Belvedere have significant injury problems and will be with out Paddy Gavin, Neil Francis, Mick Carswell and Kevin Spicer all injured, and full back Peter McKenna, who has been tied up by examination commitments. The versatile Willie Norse moves to full back, with John Philpott at outside half. Barry Sheehan deputises for Francis in the second row and Craig Johnstone and Alan Wallace come into the back row for Carswell and Spicer.