Four positive drugs tests were recorded in international rugby in 2004, the International Rugby Board has said.

The IRB said it conducted 829 doping tests last year, including out-of-competition controls for the first time, involving more than 1,000 players from 27 countries. The tests involved both international and rugby sevens.

The four positives came from in-competition tests. A French player was banned for two months for cannabis, and a Moroccan for three months for the same drug.

A Zimbabwean player received a three-month ban for a positive for salbutamol, a substance used in asthma inhalers. A Namibian was given a warning and a reprimand for the same drug.

No names were disclosed.

"This represented an important step in our fight to deter players from taking banned substances," IRB anti-doping manager Tim Ricketts said.

No positives were recorded at the Under 19 and Under 21 world championships.

In 2005, the IRB expects to conduct 1,000 tests in addition to tests carried out by national associations.

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