Having now played for the English A side - this was his second game - IRB rules dictate that the London Irish out-half cannot now change his mind and declare for Ireland. It's easy to see by the space he creates for himself and others that he's going to be a serious international player in years to come. Someone Ireland could undoubtedly have done with.

ANOTHER UNWISE INVASION BY THE US A couple of stories from Munster this week. The first one concerns an as yet unconfirmed friendly between the USA and the province in Cork a couple of weeks before the World Cup gets underway in France. It would seem that Nigel Melville, US Rugby's new chief executive, still has a desire to return to Munster despite the traumatic away defeats his Gloucester side suffered at their hands during the pool stages of the Heineken Cup in 2002/2003 and 2003/2004.

That fixture, if it does get the go ahead, could see Paul Warwick's first appearance in the Munster jersey. The Connacht utility back is a fine footballer, capable of playing in the number 10, 12, 13 and 15 shirts across the backline, and it should give Declan Kidney some more options in areas where he currently hasn't got an awful lot.

QUICK, SOMEBODY GET AN ATLAS IN HERE While clicking our way through the IRFU online shop this week (www. irishrugby. ie), we were a touch surprised to discover London Irish merchandise on sale under the 'Provincial Teamwear' section. Fair enough, there are still misty-eyed folk out there who believe that the Sunbury, or rather Reading, club remains an extension of the Irish system but following Shane Geraghty's decision to pledge his international future to England in the past couple of months, it's fair to say we can put that link pretty much to bed.

Not only that, there's no Ulster merchandise for sale in the same section, hardly a ringing endorsement of the four proud provinces. But the site does have 'The Hallowed Turf of Lansdowne Road Paperweight' for sale at a mere Euro20. What better way of keeping your papers under control? Come on, tell us?

GREAT MOMENTS IN IRISH RUGBY NUMBER 20 - The Lansdowne Road flag issue is resolved In 1925, the IRFU designed their own flag (the crests of the four provinces in each corner on a green background) on the back of the formation of the Irish Free State in the early years of that decade. The plan was to fly the new flag at both Lansdowne Road and Ravenhill in place of the Irish and British flags during international fixtures but things were never likely to be as simple as that. While the British flag ceased to be flown at Ravenhill, the Connacht Branch raised the issue of the Tricolour at Lansdowne Road on numerous occasions with the IRFU over the next couple of years. Their persistence eventually paid off. In 1932, the Minister for External Affairs in the Free State Government met the Union President on the matter.

After the meeting, it was decided that the national flag would be flown alongside the IRFU's own concoction at all Lansdowne Road games, a protocol that has been observed ever since and which will continue at Croke Park this afternoon.

THE LAW LIBRARY Donal Courtney has taken a bit of stick for awarding Jonny Wilkinson a dodgy try last weekend but we have some sympathy for the Irish whistler.

The job of TMO may look simple but take a couple of things into account before making up your mind. Firstly, Courtney would have either been sitting in a room deep in the bowels of Twickenham, or in a TV van outside in the car park, watching the action on screen, hardly a position conducive for getting a feel of the overall game. Secondly, on the Six Nations opening weekend, neither TMO present at the Italy-France or Wales-Ireland game were actual working referees, a role that Courtney "lls on a regular basis.

What Courtney doesn't do with any frequency is sit in a room ruling on dodgy decisions and it's unfair to ask him to do so in the Six Nations. Let's leave the TMO-ing to those used to doing it.

RUGBY BY NUMBERS - 9 The average number of times per game in the Six Nations' opening three fixtures the match clock was stopped because of players needing treatment.

RUGBY POSER Which current Guinness Premiership player has played Gaelic football at under-21 level for his county?

MOUTHING OFF. . .

I found myself spending lunchtime in our local pub where my daughter insisted on me brushing My Little Pony's hair. It is a far cry from getting my head kicked in front of 82,000 people Martin Corry (right ) describes what he gets up to on his days off from England duty Credit to Shane himself, who's worked tirelessly since he came off the pitch at Gloucester. Credit to our medical staff who have managed him so well. Credit to the surgeon, but in particular, credit to our rehab physio Brian Green, who's done an incredible job on him Eddie O'Sullivan gives out a whole lot of credit after Shane Horgan's recover from a knee injury