Today's other stories in brief

Borders rescue plan

Following on from the Scottish Rugby Union's decision, announcements of the demise of the Border Reivers may yet be premature. SRU chief executive Gordon McKie, chairman Allan Munro and president Andy Irvine met leading council officials and Reivers board chairman David Kilshaw for two hours during the week and agreed to embark on a rescue plan.

The development marks the first significant discussions since the SRU announced two weeks ago the team was to close at the end of the season, sparking anger in the Borders, who have cited Connacht's reputed 1.4-million budget as proof that they can be maintained relatively cheaply.

It may also have dawned on all concerned that a revised European Cup may well see the tournament expanded given the likelihood the European Challenge Cup will be scrapped for one year at any rate. This in turn could lead to all "three" Scottish sides being incorporated in next season's cup and, possibly, a place for all four Irish provinces, including Connacht.

Changleng in charge

The standard of refereeing in general, and Scottish officiating in particular, has repeatedly come in for criticism, but the single biggest problem with the Celtic League is undoubtedly the cheapskate employment of touchjudges from the country of the home team. Viewed in that light, Malcolm Changleng's performance at Rodney Parade on Friday night in Leinster's 23-22 win gave further evidence of his improved standing as a referee of some mettle.

An earlier intervention from the sidelines having led to the laughable first-half sinbinning of Brian Blaney, Changleng spotted the abrasive Ian Gough (whose trailing elbow an irate Felipe Contepomi had previously avoided) gratuitously trampling on a Leinster player's leg at a ruck and unhesitatingly brandished a yellow card.

"I fought the law, and the law won," observed Setanta co-commentator Liam Toland.

Moments later, Ceri Sweeney clotheslined Chris Whitaker. Changleng went to one of his Welsh touchjudges but declined to take on board the immediate identification of the culprits in the ensuing handbags, merely insisting the touchjudge confirm the identity of the tackler. Sweeney too was duly binned.

In all the analysis of their victory, for once the away side can have no complaints about the Scottish referee.

Easterby gets break

The career of the desperately unlucky Leinster scrumhalf Guy Easterby may not have been ended during the first half of their 23-22 win over the Dragons on Friday, as fears he had broken a leg have been dispelled. He may be hard-pressed to make Leinster's crunch Celtic League tie away to the Ospreys in a fortnight, though, in which case the Ireland under-20 scrumhalf Paul O'Donohue may be drafted in as Chris Whitaker's understudy.

Leinster have a battery of young scrumhalves, also including the injured Cillian Willis and the hitherto overlooked Matthew D'Arcy, but this hasn't stopped them signing the 28-year-old Connacht number nine, Chris Keane, for next season.

Solomons in demand

The return of Alan Solomons to coaching with Belfast Harlequins was in large part thanks to location - he lives in Helen's Bay, near Belfast Loch - and his friendship with Andy Ward.

Judging by the Harlequins' rejuvenation under his more sympathetic man management, the Cape Town native hasn't lost the touch he had as assistant to Nick Mallett at the Springboks when they equalled the world record of 17 successive Test wins.

"There are two reasons I've done this, one is to help Wardie - who was a great Ulster captain and a great man - and two, I believe it is in the interest of Ulster rugby to have three sides in the AIL Division One."

To that end, they play UCD in a relegation decider next Saturday at Belfield.

Solomons had been working as an interim high-performance director in the USA before Nigel Melville took up the post on a full-time basis but has now been hired as a consultant by the IRB, who, as part of the their strategy to try to make the World Cup more competitive, have created a high-performance initiative for tier-two and tier-three countries.

Hence, from the end of the month Solomons will spend a week in turn in Namibia, Portugal and Georgia (the first and third being in Ireland's pool), before doing a review of all three as well as Romania, and then a full strategic review of Russian rugby, before reviewing all tier-two and tier-three countries at the under-19 World Cup, then returning to Namibia, Portugal and Georgia to further assess their World Cup preparations.

"I'll be full on. I've got a hell of a lot of travelling between now and the end of September," he admitted, which is assuredly the understatement of the season.

Quotes of the week

"The rugby unions of the world will not allow 26 clubs to dictate the course of world rugby, and the present situation has brought these unions even closer and more determined to preserve the game for the good of all."

- IRB chairman Syd Millar gets vicious.

"It was just a tantrum from one of the grandfathers of the game."

- The retort from the London Wasps chief executive, David Davies.