The Irish management and the IRFU intend looking into the possibility of making next summer's proposed tour to Australia, Fiji and Tonga into an A/Development tour as opposed to three tests, or possibly even cancelling it altogether.

Compared to when originally planned a few years ago, the tour has lost some of its appeal to an Irish management who have inherited it as an unwanted extra, especially with the World Cup finals in mind.

Any diminution of the three-test tour would need approval from the International Board and next week's IB conference on player welfare in Dublin would be an opportune time to broach the subject.

However, the IRFU would prefer to wait and see if Ireland qualify for the finals later this month (which features qualifiers away to Russia and at home to Georgia) before formally approaching the IB.

Since the tour was first mooted, much has changed, not least with the advent of those World Cup qualifiers.

Also bearing in mind the carryover of three Six Nations games last year due to the foot-and-mouth epidemic, in a period of just over two years from September 2001 through to the World Cup finals in October and November of 2003, Ireland could conceivably play 33 test matches, culminating in the four pool matches in Australia.

Furthermore, without being stereotypical about the polynesian islands, there is a view that the risk of injury would be greater there.

Far more preferable, from a World Cup preparatory point of view, is the quadrangular series being mooted involving Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Canada (who qualified for the finals last weekend) scheduled for late August next year.

The IRFU are hopeful that next summer's tour, if not cancelled, could at least be revised to an A/Development tour, the last of which was to New Zealand in 1997, with the 'A' coaching ticket of Matt Williams and Steph Nel perhaps brought on board, or alternatively that Ireland's frontline players only travel for the first test in Australia.

The first of what could be 14 tests this season, including the aforementioned tour, takes place this Saturday when Ireland host Romania in Thomond Park.

To that end the Irish management will unveil their opening team selection of the campaign after training in Limerick at lunchtime today.

Once again, the choice between Ronan O'Gara and David Humphreys is likely to provoke much discussion amongst the Irish management, as might the Rob Henderson-Kevin Maggs choice at inside centre.

O'Gara is the incumbent, per se, having been picked for the tests in New Zealand and, having also hit the ground running with a redemptory five out of seven kicks in Munster's 20-13 win at Llanelli on Saturday night, looks to be marginal favourite.

Likewise Henderson, given it continues the Munster understanding from numbers eight and nine, through to 10 and 12.

However, Foley is bothered by a rib injury while Eric Miller sustained a bruised rib in his impressive performance for Leinster in Friday night's win over Pontypridd.

Hence, Victor Costello and Alan Quinlan have been added to the 22-man Irish squad as cover.

The Heineken Cup organisers have announced plans for terrestial television coverage of this season's competition and seven different stations will show nine live broadcasts around Europe on the first weekend of matches alone.

Already 20 of the 36 pool matches will be broadcast live, albeit regionally, with RTÉ covering all of Munster's and Leinster's home games.

"We are delighted that half the Round 1 Pool matches will be televised live - and we hope to reach an accumulated audience of over five million," said Derek McGrath, Chief Executive of ERC, the tournament organisers.

"The enormous television interest in the tournament demonstrates that the Heineken Cup is now firmly established as the major club rugby competition in Europe and the one rugby supporters have taken to their hearts."

The full televised schedules for Rounds 1 and 2 of the tournament (RTÉ have nominated all six rounds of Pool matches they will broadcast) are: BBC - Saturday, October 12th: Gloucester v Munster 15.00. Saturday, October 19th: Bristol Shoguns v Montferrand 15.00.

BRITISH EUROSPORT - Friday, October 11th: Leinster Lions v Bristol Shoguns 19.35. Saturday, October 12th: Toulouse v London Irish (Delayed) 17.30. Sunday, October 13th: Northampton Saints v Ulster 16.30. Friday,October 18th: Newport v Toulouse (Delayed) 21.00. Saturday, October 19th: Swansea v Leinster Lions 19.30.

BBC NORTHERN IRELAND - Sunday, October 13th: Northampton Saints v Ulster 16.30. Friday, October 18th: Ulster v Cardiff 19.05.