A round-up of the latest six nations news

Jesuit boys play their part in Ireland's resurgence 

THERE COULD be a divine reason why the Irish rugby team has been doing well over the last 12 months or so. According to AMDG, the Jesuit online newsletter, there were six Jesuit boys directly connected to the Irish team for the match against Italy at Croke Park last week. Today there is one less with Kevin McLaughlin sitting it out but still . . .

“At the Six Nations rugby match between Ireland and Italy, the Irish side could boast six Jesuit alumni: Gordon D’Arcy and Rob Kearney (Clongowes); David Wallace and Eoin Reddan (The Crescent); Kevin McLaughlin (Gonzaga); and Cian Healy (Belvedere),” said AMDG. Is this a record asked the newletter?

Parra claims Ireland are clever cheats

MORGAN PARRA was typically candid in an interview yesterday with L’Equipe, the French sports newspaper. The half back, however, won’t have done much to enamour himself to the Irish team. Indeed, that was probably his intention.

“They set a false rhythm by cheating, by playing certain balls. It’ll be for us to impose our rhythm. For that, you have to be present in the rucks, you have to be always ready to advance to benefit from quick releases of the ball,” said Parra.

“Another strength is that they don’t get penalised very much. They have a big defence. (A) Cheating (defence); but intelligent cheating. They’re not penalised, so they’re clever.”

Clever cheats? That’s a new one.

Commission to rule on Dupuy ERC ban

AS EXPECTED Julien Dupuy isn’t lining out today against Ireland but he could play in France and throw the ERC’s disciplinary system into chaos. The French scrumhalf was suspended for 23 weeks for gouging Stephen Ferris in a Heineken Cup match in Belfast last December. A Paris-based independent disciplinary commission, made up of representatives from the French Rugby Federation (FFR) and the French National Rugby League (LNR), are deliberating on whether the ban should apply to all competitions, having interviewed Dupuy on Thursday. Stade Francais president Max Guazzini said he would do everything in his power to dilute the sanction.

“A private company based in Ireland (European Cup organisers European Rugby Cup) is preventing a salaried club member from working and playing (in France),” he said.

It’s going to run.