And the IRFU appear to be offering better value for money too, Euro99 for five days with the Union's event as opposed to Euro150 for three days with the Irish captain. Well, you didn't think it would be cheaper, did you?

ONE FOR WASPS FANS TO RETURN TO SENDER Lawrence Dallaglio has never been the type of player to keep his mouth shut when he could be opening it and following Wasps 37-11 away defeat to Newcastle on Friday last, the former England captain was so disappointed with his side's efforts that he penned an open letter of apology to the club's supporters.

"As Club Captain and captain of the team that played last Friday night, I feel compelled to offer an unreserved apology, on behalf of the team, to all London Wasps supporters and staff for our performance in that fixture against Newcastle Falcons. . . In my years as a player at the club I and the team have gone through many ups and downs, but never have I felt quite as humiliated and disappointed by a Wasps performance as I was last Friday. Our supporters who spent significant time, effort and cost to make the long journey to see us play at Kingston Park deserved much, much more."

It's just as well, then, that the number eight wasn't involved with the England squad that played at Croke Park last week. Now that would have been an interesting letter.

THE KIDS ARE MORE THAN ALRIGHT It's high time we took our hats off to Eric Elwood's Ireland under-20 side.

In case you haven't been following their progress, Ireland's youngsters have beaten Wales, England and France - traditionally the three strongest underage sides in the competition - thus far this spring, and at the moment they're odds on to go one better than their senior counterparts and claim the Grand Slam. They face their next hurdle, Scotland, on Friday night at the Falkirk Stadium at 7.30 and with the Scots having already lost 58-6 to Wales, a side that Ireland defeated away from home on the opening weekend of the competition, we're con"dent of an Irish victory.

GREAT MOMENTS IN IRISH RUGBY NUMBER 23 - Irish XV defeat the British Army At the outbreak of the second world war in 1939, all international games were cancelled and Australia even had to return home without playing a match on disembarking from a twomonth voyage from Sydney. The only release for rugby players were representative games against the armed forces and at Ravenhill in 1942 an Irish XV, which included would-be internationals, commenced a five-game series against the British Army. The Army won the first four games, all played in Belfast, with ease but the last of these fixtures, played at Ravenhill in December 1945, saw the Irish XV win for the "rst time by 19-3. The war was over by that point but when full internationals resumed in 1947, a number of that Irish XV would go on to earn full honours for their country.

THE LAW LIBRARY Last weekend at Croke Park, referee Joel Jutge got his mark law a little muddled. Early in the first half, Ronan O'Gara launched a garryowen into the England 22 and Olly Morgan caught the ball and claimed the mark before being shunted backwards by the onrushing Brian O'Driscoll.

Jutge correctly awarded an English free-kick for the mark but, with Morgan lying prostrate on the ground, Harry Ellis tapped the ball and made his way forward. Jutge allowed play to continue. The problem in all this is that the laws of the game decree that a free kick awarded for a mark must be taken by the person who called the mark. If that person is unable to take the freekick because of injury, his side are awarded a scrum. Jutge obviously got a little muddled in his head but thankfully, from an Irish point of view, it had no impact on the result.

RUGBY BY NUMBERS - 16:17 The ratio of tries to penalties scored on the third weekend of the Six Nations. The "rst weekend the ratio was 14:13, while on week two it was 5:22.

RUGBY POSER How many caps did Eric Elwood earn for Ireland?

MOUTHING OFF. . .

Of course you look back now and say 'what if?' But you can't dwell on it. You can't unring a bell Eddie O'Sullivan produces another classic Eddie-ism John Hayes has always come in for criticism as perhaps I always have. I've seen that guy scrummage against some of the best players in the world and come out on top Backing for the Bull from English captain Phil Vickery. Can we now please leave the guy alone and just accept that he's a very decent prop?