Six NationsAlthough a final decision on Gordon D'Arcy's availability was deferred until a fitness test this morning, the expectation remains that along with Brian O'Driscoll he too will be ruled out of Ireland's RBS Six Nations game against Scotland at Murrayfield tomorrow.
The Irish captain was officially ruled out yesterday - Paul O'Connell will assume leadership of the side - and although O'Driscoll's replacement will not be decided until the conclusion of a training session behind closed doors at an unspecified venue in Edinburgh this morning, the likelihood remains Shane Horgan and Kevin Maggs will form a new midfield partnership in the absence of Ireland's game-breaking centre combination of the last year.
Neither O'Driscoll nor D'Arcy travelled with the remainder of the squad yesterday and perhaps a further pointer toward D'Arcy's chances of making the starting line in Edinburgh is that the fitness test on his strained hamstring will be conducted in Dublin.
In addition to the 22 players who were named on Tuesday, Maggs and Harlequins' Gavin Duffy travelled with the squad yesterday. While also underlining the impression that Maggs will win his 67th cap alongside Horgan, this would suggest that Duffy - as in the second Test in South Africa when winning his sole cap as a 20th-minute replacement for Girvan Dempsey - will be on the bench, with Dempsey starting where he finished off in Rome, on the wing.
Meanwhile, a decision as to the venue for the Biarritz-Munster quarter-final of the Heineken Cup on April 3rd will be finalised today, and what is likely to be a disappointment to the Munster Branch and supporters alike, the signals from the south west of France are that Biarritz's home ground at the Parc des Sports Aguilera will be chosen above Real Sociedad's ground Estadio Anoeta.
Biarritz club president Marcel Martin had wanted to move the tie to San Sebastian, in part to broaden the club's appeal in the Basque region but mainly to maximise Munster's support and the crowd potential for the tie given the Estadio Anoeta has a 32,082 capacity, compared to the Parc des Sports Aguilera's limit of 12,667.
The greater income from the tie would also have pleased the Munster Branch, as well as an increase in their allocation of tickets from around 3,000 to upwards of 8,000. To that end, Martin has met the Mayor of San Sebastian while Serge Blanco had also lobbied the French Federation.
However, while approval from their own federation appears to have been forthcoming, it appears the logistics of moving the tie to San Sebastian have proved trickier.
Although no word is emanating from Biarritz Olympique, whose spokespersons merely say "there will be a statement tomorrow (Friday)" and Munster remain in the dark, the word form French sources is that aside from issues regarding player insurance and having the match played in another jurisdiction, it would seem Spanish television are reluctant to change their plans for live coverage of the La Liga game between Real Sociedad and Osasuna that night.
Walter Pozzebon was yesterday named as the replacement for injured centre Gonzalo Canale in Italy's starting line-up for their Six Nations match against Wales tomorrow. Pozzebon, who was originally included among the replacements for the game at Rome's Stadio Flaminio, steps up after Canale damaged his shoulder in training on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old will be making his first Six Nations appearance since playing against Wales in the 2001 competition. His place on the bench is filled by Padova centre Matteo Barbini.
ITALY (v Wales): R De Marigny; M Bergamasco, W Pozzebon, A Masi, L Nitoglia; L Orquera, A Troncon; A Lo Cicero, F Ongaro, M Castrogiovanni, S Dellape, M Bortolami (capt), A Persico, M Bergamasco, S Parisse. Replacements: G Intoppa, S Perugini, C Antonio Del Fava, D Dal Maso, P Griffen, M Barbini, K Robertson.
