In due recognition of their accomplishments with Munster and Ulster over the last two seasons, Declan Kidney and Harry Williams have been appointed as coach and manager respectively of the Ireland A side.

Following on the appointment of Eddie O'Sullivan as assistant coach to Warren Gatland of the national team, this is a continuation of the IRFU's promotion of native coaches. Indeed, Kidney's assistant with Munster, Niall O'Donovan, has also been appointed as assistant coach to the Irish A squad.

The A team management will work in association with the national team management, who will have responsibility for the selection of the A team. Meanwhile, Bart Fannin has been appointed as coach of the Irish under-19 side, while Harry McKibbin has been appointed as manager.

Kidney said: "It's a great honour to coach any Ireland side. This will definitely provide a challenge, it'll be a new experience. I have already coached the Ireland Schools and Ireland Under-19's.

"It's a little bit different when you are not selecting the team but we'll just have to get on with preparing the team. It is the aim for the provinces to feed into the national side and this is simply more of the same."

Kidney has already enjoyed a considerable track record at underage level, winning Munster Schools Senior Cups with Presentation Brothers College, Cork. He also coached Ireland to a Triple Crown at Schools level and perhaps his greatest triumph was steering Ireland to the FIRA Under-19 World Cup, beating France 18-0 in the final at Stade Les Septs Deniers.

Rob Andrew could always be relied on as a player and the English Rugby Union clearly feels he is doing just fine in his new role as English rugby's troubleshooter. Having read the Andrew-led Task Group's draft proposals on the future of the English game, the RFU's management board yesterday gave them a significant thumbs-up, casting doubt on Tom Walkinshaw's rival British League plans.

News that Andrew and his team had won "unanimous" approval, however, prompted officials to issue a flurry of statements to prevent anyone jumping to explosive conclusions. Twickenham sources were insistent that Walkinshaw's plans had not been, as one put it, "kicked into touch" and Brian Baister, the management board chairman, stressed that Andrew's Task Group had been recommended "to work closely with representatives of the clubs."