RUSSIA may provide the opposition for the Republic of Ireland in the first game of the post Charlton era at Lansdowne Road on March 27th.

Although a FAI spokesman could not confirm it, officials of the Russian Federation are thought to have been in contact with Merrion Square with a view to playing in Dublin.

Russia are preparing for the European Championship finals, in which they are grouped with Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic. They estimate that a meeting with Ireland can further those preparations.

Ironically, Ireland were themselves preparing for a major event, USA '94, on the last occasion Russia played here. It was a disappointing, scoreless draw.

Meetings with the old Soviet Union were more common place, of course, and there are many who would rate the 1-1 draw with the Soviets in the European Championship finals in Hanover in 1988 as perhaps the finest Irish team performance of them all.

At this point, only one game is firmly in place in the Republic's friendly programme, a visit to the Czech Republic in April. But another fixture is planned for May, and in June there is the probability of a game in Holland before the Irish squad departs to the US Cup tournament in Washington and Boston.

Meanwhile, the FAI spokesman said a meeting of the six man selection committee charged with finding a replacement for Jack Charlton reported some progress in a meeting in Dublin yesterday.