The IRFU announced that three players would be offered national squad contracts but, amazingly, Kevin Nowlan and Reggie Corrigan, both of whom play for Ireland against Italy in Bologna tomorrow, have been overlooked.
Leinster team manager Jim Glennon was mystified by the Union's decision. "I am extremely disappointed and surprised, not only at the decision but also at the timing of the announcement." There can be no doubt that the decision to release the information on the eve of an international will hardly inspire the players in question.
Nowlan, now firmly first choice at fullback, will win his third cap against the Italians, Corrigan his second after coming on for Nick Popplewell in the game against Canada. Both players are on parttime contracts worth £7,500 plus match fees for Leinster.
St Mary's scrum-half Conor McGuinness and Shannon flanker Alan Quinlan have been awarded Category 2, home based full-time, deals. This would provide them with a £35,000 salary, a car, a £3,000 win bonus and a further £1,000 for every match Ireland drew, London Irish centre Mark McCall has been given a Category 4 contract which offers a basic salary of £14,600 plus expenses.
McGuinness, currently nursing a shin bone injury, was delighted with the news. "KPMG Chartered Accountants have generously offered me one year's leave of absence and I will definitely take them up on that. There is no way that you can play international rugby and hold down a full-time job.
"The last six weeks have taught me that. I was in the office just one day a week and that simply isn't acceptable. As far as the injury is concerned, it is just a case of having patience. At the moment it looks like January 10th would be a realistic comeback date."
Quinlan confirmed that he had received the contract and would be contacting Cardiff and Bath, both of whom chased his signature, to inform them that he would be remaining in Ireland.
The IRFU have appointed Declan Kidney as Director of Provincial Coaching in Munster. The former Ireland Schools and Dolphin coach has been handed a three-year contract.
Kidney, along with Shannon's Niall O'Donovan helped to guide Munster's fortunes in this season Guinness Interprovincial Championship and the Heineken European Cup.
A schoolteacher at Presentation Brothers College, Cork, Kidney will take a career break from his present position to pursue his rugby appointment full-time.
Kidney, who guided the Irish Schools team to a Triple Crown success in 1993, admitted: "I am delighted to receive this honour. I was asked to let my name go forward and was quite happy to do so.
"As far as the new position is concerned because of commitments to the school, I won't be able to take up the job on a fulltime basis until February 1st. Obviously I would like to thank the school for allowing me to take on this opportunity."
Kidney preferred not be drawn on his plans both for the development of rugby within the province or the personnel whom he may draft in to help him, stating that he would outline his plans in February.
Meanwhile, Ireland and Bath wing Simon Geoghegan has seen his hopes of a Heineken Cup comeback dashed. The winger had been in contention to make Bath's starting line-up against semi-final opponents Pau as a possible replacement for Adedayo Adebayo.
But Geoghegan's injury jinx has struck again, raising fresh doubts over whether he will ever play again. He trained with Bath earlier this week, showing no obvious effects from a ninth foot operation, but a delayed reaction ruled him out of coach Andy Robinson's plans.
Geoghegan has played just 60 minutes' rugby in 18 months, and made barely 20 Bath first-team appearances since moving to the Recreation Ground from London Irish three years ago.
Tomorrow's AIB Division Two clash between De La Salle Palmerstown and Monkstown at Kilternan has been called off due to a waterlogged pitch. The fixture is now provisionally pencilled in for Saturday, January 3rd.
Irish Schools Trial Teams, Whites v Blues, Stradbrook tomorrow (2.0).
Whites (Probables): G Darcy (Clongowes); J Norton (St Mary's), K Lewis (St Mary's), R Milliken (Bangor), N Ross (Blackrock); A Dunne (Belvedere), D Spence (Wallace HS); N Brady (RS Dungannon), G Hickie (St Mary's), N Treston (Blackrock); D Dillon (Clongowes), P O'Connell (Ard Scoil Ris); J O'Neill (St Clement's), A Hickey (CBC Cork), A Hughes (RS Dungannon).
Blues (Possibles): R O'Sullivan (PBC Cork); D Flanagan (Belvedere), S Hassett (CBC Cork), M O'Kelly (Terenure), N Beggs (Campbell); D McInerney (Crescent), S Keogh (St Michael's); C Bradley (CBC Cork), D Noonan (Rockwell), R McGrath (CBC Cork); P Griffin (St Munchin's), A Maher (St Joseph's, Galway); N McMillan (BRA), J Jenkinson (Terenure), A Cullen (Belvedere).
Players to attend: J Blair (RS Dungannon), T Daly (CBC Cork), S Hawthorne (BRA), S Martin (MCB), J Coen (Ballymena), M O'Connor (St Munchin's), D Popplewell (Wesley College), G Cleary (St Michael's), A O'Sullivan (Rockwell), T Carter (Terenure), G Shaw (Ballymena), A Emerson (Portora Royal), M Sheehan (Garbally), T Morton (RS Armagh), R Henson (St Mary's), B Stinson (RS Dungannon), A King (Garbally), C McMahon (Castleknock).
Munster Schools: C Morrissey (Rockwell); T Daly (CBC Cork), F O'Gara (PBC Cork), C O'Sullivan (PBC Cork), R Connery (Crescent); B Ronan (CBC Cork), E Reddan (Crescent); L Hogan (St Munchin's), J Riordan (PBC Cork), G Walsh (Crescent); I Madden (Crescent), J Dalton (Rockwell); B Begley (St Clements), A O'Sullivan (Rockwell), R O'Brien (Rockwell).
