Maybe Eddie O'Sullivan can change after all. Following some heavy criticism since the November internationals, the Irish coach has selected a reasonably open-minded 35-man panel for the Six Nations. The inclusion of a number of players from across the water . . . Shane Jennings, Jeremy Staunton and Eoin Reddan in particular . . . proves the coach has decided to pick form players no matter where they ply their trade, while the presence of Robert Kearney and Jamie Heaslip shows that maybe he's not afraid of blooding youngsters after all.

Perhaps there is light at the end of the tunnel, although we'll have to wait until 4 February to see how bright it is.

MORE ARGIE BARGIE FOR IRB OVER 2011

And the fallout from the awarding of the 2011 World Cup to New Zealand continues. Argentina are the latest country to declare how they voted before Christmas and it doesn't exactly inspire confidence in IRB procedures.

After pledging their vote to South Africa in the first round, Argentina were free to transfer their vote to either Japan or New Zealand in the "nal round. So how did they decide? The Argentinean union's president-elect, Alejandro Risler, shared a telephone conversation with NZRU president Jack Hobbs and the vote went New Zealand's way.

Nobody knows what may have been promised to Argentina during the conversation between the pair but surely canvassing in between voting shouldn't be allowed. Just another point to note when the IRB work towards 2015.

GAME TIME PUTS THEM OUT OF THEIR LEAGUE

St Helens and the London Skolars . . . both rugby league sides from across the water in case you didn't know . . . play a friendly at Donnybrook today in another coup for Rugby League Ireland. But why is the game taking place at the same time as Leinster's Heineken Cup match against Bath? Surely a kick-off time of 1.00 would have brought a bigger crowd to the Dublin 4 venue. But a 2.30 kick-off it is if you fancy something different.