Planet RugbyCompiled by John O'Sullivan

Hospitable North Kildare

North Kildare RFC proved that they were a small club with a big heart recently when they rescued a proposed tour to Ireland by English side Preston Grasshoppers. The English club, once the home of international second-row Wade Dooley, were due to undertake a four-match tour of Ireland but the English-based facilitator never delivered on his promise.

He neglected to tell the club and when they arrived in Ireland much to their chagrin, they learnt that there were no games arranged. A chance encounter with a couple of members of North Kildare late one night in Dublin, led to an undertaking by the Kildare club to play the English side and thus rescue what had become a non-stop drinking expedition, or at least arrest it for 80 minutes.

There was only one catch. It took place on a Sunday afternoon, the day after North Kildare's end-of-season dinner dance. The match was due to kick off at 3.0 but had to be delayed as 12 of the 15 players for the home side were late arriving, still in their tuxedos from the night before.

Kildare won the match 36-24 and provided their visitors with barbecue fare to complete a great day and obvious give the Grasshoppers a reason to work up an even greater thirst.

Verbal clanger

George Hook and Brent Pope better beware of the verbal clanger. RTÉ's dynamic duo will hoping the fate that befell former All Black legend Murray Mexted in his commentary of a recent game would never trip from their respective tongues.

TV bosses in New Zealand were forced to reprimand the former New Zealand number eight and now television analyst for describing attempts to dry a pitch as a big blow job. Mexted's reference was to the blowing machine operation at Christchurch's Jade Stadium pitch.

He made the gaffe during the Super 12 match between the Crusaders and the Bulls. His co-commentator Tony Johnson had been describing the drying operation. While Mexted's employers pointed out that the comment wasn't appropriate, he maintains that he never intended to offend anyone.

Mexted told the Sunday Star Times: "It was probably a bit tongue-in-cheek. I visualised these great big blowing machines and it just came out. I think it was probably a malapropism. I didn't want to offend anybody. I didn't intend it to come across in an improper manner."

Sky and TV3 didn't received any complaints, but both networks say the blow job comment was inappropriate. Sky executive sport producer Andrew Fyfe said: "Mr Mexted realises he's not allowed to use the phrase again. It was a one-off, and part of who Murray is".

He added: "Murray speaks first and thinks later," which is probably not a great idea for those who live or die by the quip. Pope and Hook have been warned.

Testing Italian job

There was better news for another former All Black icon John Kirwan following confirmation from the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) that he is to take over as head coach to the Italian national side, succeeding Brad Johnstone.

Kirwan had been assistant coach to Johnstone but takes over the number one role with Johnstone shifted to a technical development role. Johnstone, who arrived in Italy in 2000 after coaching Fiji, knew his days were numbered when Italy suffered their third consecutive wooden spoon in the Six Nations Championship.

Kirwan had been introduced by the Italian Federation earlier this season and made an impression as a forward thinking backs coach. The New Zealander looks like he is girding himself for a tough job on and off the pitch.

"I'm ready for the pressure. I'm aware that there will be those who don't like me as well as those who do, but that's the nature of the job sometimes. Brad suffered more than a wee bit, but I'm pleased he has been given a role.

"As for my approach to the job, I'll certainly bring my own philosophy. I'd like to think of myself as being a modern sort of coach, and I'll be pushing the boundaries."

Kirwan's previous coaching experience extends to a position of assistant at the Super 12 franchise the Auckland Blues in 2001. As a player he scored 35 tries in 63 appearances for the All Blacks, including a crucial role in their victorious 1987 World Cup campaign.

Kirwan speaks Italian and is married to an Italian girl - pretty decent fundamentals for his new role.

Saracens' new recruit

Christian Califano. Remember him? The one-time world's best loosehead prop (right) has ended a disappointing one-year sojourn in New Zealand with the Auckland Blues by signing a three-year contract with English Premiership club Saracens. Califano, who is 29, favoured Saracens over a return to his former outfit, Toulouse.

Califano played the 'I love my new club to bits' routine admirably, admitting: "Saracens is a famous club and I'm very pleased to have agreed terms with them. They have a good reputation and I look forward to being a part of the squad. They are not all strangers to me with guys like Abdel Benazzi, Thomas Castaignede and Kyran Bracken there."

One beneficiary from an Irish perspective could be under-21 international prop Sean Phillips who will come under Califano's tutelage at Saracens. Califano won 65 caps for France, five French titles, and a European Cup with Toulouse.

It appears that the English club's expenditure on new faces may not stop there as there are rumours that former All Black number eight Wayne Shelford may be on his way to succeed Francois Pienaar as coach.

Singapore brawl

Sent off or not sent off, that is the question. It was one that caused consternation at the recent Singapore Sevens when South African whistler Andre Watson showed three red cards to two New Zealanders and Samoan captain Semo Sittiti following a brawl that lasted a full minute in a pool match.

New Zealand played the remaining game time with five players but Samoa finished with their full complement, scoring a try in that period to leave the sides level at 17-17. In the confusion that followed the brawl none of the officials counted the players left on the pitch. Sittiti did not realise he had been sent off and Watson later admitted that he had wrongly identified him.

The upshot was that following a video review, eight players received bans arising from that match and from a purely playing perspective the All Blacks went on to win the final.