The Sunday Tribune has learned that the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has stepped in to stop the anthem being played before the game in Ravenhill, thereby ending a decades-old protocol which insisted that 'God Save The Queen' be sung at international rugby games in Belfast.

Ireland's Call, the Phil Coulter-penned anthem of the IRFU, will now be played on its own before the game. The union was also adamant in negotiations with its Ulster branch that the official IRFU flag, and not the Union Jack, will fly alongside the Italian flag on the day of the game in August 2007.

It is believed that the Ulster branch had no problem with the IRFU's strong stance on the anthem or the flag. "It was a condition of the game being played in Belfast, " said an IRFU spokesman. "It's a sensitive issue, but the Ulster branch had no problems with the anthem issue, or the flag one for that matter. With both Lansdowne Road and Thomond Park due to be redeveloped around the time of the fixture, Ravenhill was our next choice for the visit of Italy and we're delighted to be able to bring the fixture there."

The new IRFU protocol brings to an end one of the most unique arrangements in sport. The IRFU, an amalgamation of the Irish Football Union and the Northern Football Union, was formed back in 1879. When anthems were played before games, which was only occasional back then, 'God Save the King' was played without question. But things changed after the formation of the Irish Free State.