By Lestyn
July 12 2004

Although not official last season it was fairly obvious that Leinster and Munster cared little about how they faired in Celtic competitions, today they confirmed Welsh and Scottish fears about what can only be seen as contempt for the league.

The Celtic League's fragile standing in professional rugby looks to have taken a severe blow, with Irish Rugby Union officials admitting they are set to imposing guidelines on how many games their top internationals can start.

Quotas will be placed on the likes of Brian O'Driscoll and Gordan D'Arcy, with Celtic League away matches in Wales and Scotland being ruled out, as they are not deemed important enough.

Such a move will further dilute and devalue a league which still only now starting to find it's feet. As far as strength in depth is concerned in Ireland it is not that great, and repeats of the hammering dealt out to Munster in Cardiff and Leinster at Stradey Park are inevitable.

Further more it may prove a marketing disaster for Welsh regions, who have struggled to achieve acceptable gates in their first season. Trying to attract crowds for televised matches against Irish sides stripped off their assets is going to be a real struggle.

Such a move could be seen as a step by the IRFU to try and enforce a reduced league format, one that they had been mooting since the leagues inception in 2001. A meeting in Dublin two months ago however saw all countries agree to retain each province playing each other home and away.

After this they may just get their way through stealth, but simply playing five home games a season is simply not viable to the Welsh regions who are desperate for any gate money they can get, along with the BBC who will be far from happy with the number of "competitive" games they screen this season.