Rugby Union: Irish not seeking fight

GERRY MURPHY responded sharply yesterday to suggestions his side may resort to violence to prevent being overrun by Australia in next month's two Tests.

Phil Kearns, the Wallaby hooker, made the comments following Ireland's humiliating loss to New South Wales on Sunday. He said the tourists might rely on physical intimidation in the first Test in Brisbane on 5 June.

In defence of his players, Murphy said: 'We do not play outside the rules. We have no intention of getting involved with that kind of thing. We are here to play rugby.'

Murphy, meanwhile, described the performance against NSW as 'appalling' and named a radically changed side for the match against ACT in Canberra tomorrow.

IRELAND ( v ACT, Canberra, tomorrow): J Staples (London Irish); B Walsh (Constitution), M Field (Malone), M Ridge, N Woods; A McGowan, A Rolland (all Blackrock Coll); G Halpin (London Irish), S Byrne (Blackrock Coll), P Clohessy (Young Munster), M Galwey (Shannon, capt), J Davidson (Dungannon), P Hogan (Garryowen), D Corkery (Constitution), P Johns (Dungannon). Replacements: J Bell (Loughborough Univ), E Elwood (Lansdowne), M Bradley (Constitution), V Costello (St Mary's Coll), J Fitzgerald (Young Munster), T Kingston (Dolphin).