The IRFU may be in a bit of a muddle right now, what with the FAI suddenly becoming decisive and all that, but they don't have half the problems their Australian equivalents have at the moment. Not only do the ARU have to pick a successor to John Connolly, they've also had to deny accusations that their chairman, Peter McGrath, was drunk while speaking at a World Cup function.

One of the country's major rugby sponsors complained in writing to the ARU that McGrath was so affected by alcohol that he could hardly speak at a function the day before Australia's defeat to England.

McGrath has defended himself but we're more worried about what sport the sponsors think they've gotten involved with. A rugby blazer drunk at a free-booze function? We'd be shocked and appalled if they weren't.

HARRISON PLAYS THROUGH THE PAIN

We couldn't help but feel sorry for Miles Harrison, the Sky Sports commentator loaned to ITV for the World Cup, on Saturday night. On what was undoubtedly the biggest night of his commentating career, Harrison was suffering from a bad dose of food poisoning and hadn't eaten a proper meal since the previous Monday. But while he may have looked a shadow of himself in the press room beforehand, you wouldn't have known he was ill from listening to his commentary on the night. A real pro.

'LEAGUE' STARS LOOK TO SEAL WORLD CUP PLACE

You might be fed up of World Cups of any description right now but the Irish Rugby League team can qualify for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup on Friday if they defeat Lebanon at the Tetley's Stadium in Dewsbury across the water. This match was supposed to be a home tie for Lebanon but on security advice, it's being played at a neutral venue, which can surely only help Ireland's cause. Ireland have only ever quali"ed for the Rugby League World Cup once, back in 2000, but a win on Friday could have us all going League mad 12 months from now.

BLACK NIGHT FOR FORGOTTEN KIWIS

New Zealanders are still a little bitter at not making the World Cup final, it seems. In the press box of the Stade de France on Saturday night, the doyen of the New Zealand journalists in France packed up his bag with 15 minutes of the World Cup final still to go and left the ground muttering under his breath.

Perhaps he would have been better off going home with his team with that kind of attitude.

BARNES PLEADS A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY

Did you hear the one about Wayne Barnes walking into a Kiwi bar in Paris last week? The English of"cial, who had a lot of nasty things said about him by distraught New Zealanders unhappy with some of his decisions during their team's defeat to France, apparently didn't realise the af"liation of the joint he'd just walked into. The 28-year-old referee, a little worried you'd imagine, then proceeded to tell those who came over to speak to him that his names was actually James, and not Wayne, but no-one really bought his mistaken-identity excuse. It's nice to hear, though, that after some gentle ribbing, Barnes was left alone to enjoy his few pints.

THE LAW LIBRARY

With kicking the ball clearly back in rugby vogue, we thought it would be an idea to remind everybody of the 10-metre law, something that appears to have been forgotten by some referees.

Like during the 3rd and 4th Place Play-Off between Argentina and France at the Parc des Princes last weekend. With the Pumas on the attack deep inside the French 22, Agustin Pichot passed the ball back to Juan Hernandez, who saw his drop-goal attempt come back into play off a post.

David Skrela, the French centre, caught the rebound but was buried by three Argentine players in quick succession. Hooker Alberto Basauldo picked up the loose ball and sneaked over for a try. The problem with all this was that when Hernandez had his drop at goal, his teammates should have retreated back to an imaginary line 10-metres back from the first French player ready to play the ball (Law 11.4 (a)). It is only when the player is passed out by an onside player from his own team while he is retreating (Law 11.4 (b)), that he's back onside. Clearly, none of the three Argentina players who tackled Skrela were back 10-metres, had attempted to retreat or were passed by an onside player, meaning France should have been awarded a penalty the second their outside centre was tackled.

RUGBY BY NUMBERS

73 -- The number of drop-goals attempted at the Rugby World Cup.

14-- The number of successful dropgoals.

MOUTHING OFF. . .

Everything isn't rosy just because we got to a World Cup "nal Lawrence Dallaglio (right), he of the very high standards, refuses to believe that all's well with English rugby despite Brian Ashton's side almost retaining the Webb Ellis Cup