BATTLE OF HEMISPHERES: A North v South battle of the hemispheres is to take place for the first time later this year, but it may be moved to Twickenham from its scheduled venue at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, reports Paul Rees.
The match will be held on November 30th, the day the Rugby Football Union had hoped to stage an international between Australia and South Africa, and every major union agreed at this week's meeting of the International Rugby Board to back the event which is being organised to raise money for the game's poorer nations.
When the idea of a showdown between the two hemispheres was first proposed last year, it received little support with Australia and England threatening not to make their players available.
An agreement was reached with the Welsh Rugby Union last January to stage the match, but the IRB is not happy with arrangements and will send a delegation to Cardiff next Wednesday.
If the deal is not finalised next week, the RFU will be asked to host the event at Twickenham.
The France coach Bernard Laporte is expected to take charge of the North and no union will provide more than five players to the teams, a concession which it is hoped will appease the clubs in the Zurich Premiership who have voiced their opposition to the fixture.
The New Zealand sports minister Trevor Mallard yesterday launched an attack on the IRB chairman Vernon Pugh and the Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill over the awarding of the 2003 World Cup to Australia.
Mallard said he would like to put a bottle of Heineken, one of the World Cup's sponsors, "in uncomfortable places for them."
Guardian Service
JUNIOR ROUND ROBIN: The Junior qualifying round-robin goes to the wire this afternoon when Queen's University will be strongly fancied to book a return to the All-Ireland League this afternoon by dint of a victory at home to Highfield, reports Gerry Thornley.
A win for the Belfast students will ensure they top the round-robin and secure the sole automatic promotion spot to the third division of the AIL. Highfield would need to win by at least eight points to usurp Queen's and so finish first.
Alternatively, the Cork club, desperate for an immediate return to AIL status, could secure second place and a play-off against the 15th placed side in the third division were they to win by less than eight points - an outcome which would still leave Queen's first.
However, Highfield could well miss out altogether, for unless they do beat Queen's they are likely to be overtaken by Kilkenny, who take on the round robin's whipping boys thus far, Westport.
Indeed, were Kilkenny to emulate Queen's and Highfield in procuring a bonus point at Westport's expense, then a draw would not be enough for Highfield to hold on to second place.
CRAIG QUINNELL: The decision of Craig Quinnell to join Saracens has raised fears in Wales that he will be the first of many to move to England because of uncertainty surrounding the future of the game in Wales. Quinnell (26) will join Saracens next season on a four-year contract worth £500,000, £100,000 more than Wales' richest club Cardiff were able to offer.
