Club v country: IRB look for 'quick fix'
Wed, 24 Sep 2008 10:43
The International Rugby Board (IRB) has moved swiftly to find a short-term solution to a long-term problem, after threats of a full-scale 'rugby war' between Scotland and England in the ongoing club-versus-country row.
IRB officials took on a peacemaker role after Scotland coach Frank Hadden made a formal complaint when English clubs blocked 10 of his stars from joining a national training camp earlier this week.
The IRB are not due to discuss the matter until after the November Tests against New Zealand, South African and Canada.
However, they are trying to hammer out a short-term agreement that would put hostilities on hold.
Hadden and Scottish chiefs had reacted angrily on Monday when a ruling by Premier Rugby Ltd (PRL), the umbrella organisation that represents English clubs in the Guinness Premiership, instructed each club not to release its players - blocked the release of stars such as Alasdair Strokosch, Alasdair Dickinson, Rory Lawson and Scott Lawson (all Gloucester), Sean Lamont and Euan Murray (both Northampton Saints), Rory Lamont and Jason White (both Sale Sharks), Gordon Ross (Saracens) and Stephen Jones (Newcastle Falcons).
Premier Rugby insist they were within their rights and that they are only obliged to release players five days before an agreed quota of Tests.
But Hadden has been planning an intensive build-up to the November tussles because they will count in the seedings shake-up for the draw for the 2011 World Cup.
An IRB spokesman said: "Everyone is hoping commonsense prevails, that custom and practice prevails.
"But there is a differing attitude towards what custom and practice is for squad sessions.
"PRL have no problem releasing players five days before Test matches. It's slightly different now that Scotland want releases for squad sessions.
"We're talking to all parties to see what is the best solution."
Those parties include the Rugby Football Union (RFU) in England.
The IRB have no direct jurisdiction over Premier Rugby but they could advise the RFU to ban Scotland players appearing for their clubs this weekend.
