Scrumhalf scramble in Irish squad
Sat, 10 May 2008 00:14
Brian O'Driscoll, as expected, will lead a 30-man Ireland squad into next month's one-off Tests against New Zealand and Australia.
However, the selection of the three scrumhalves in an extended 37-man squad - which will take on the Barbarians, before heading to New Zealand and Australia - will raise a few eyebrows.
Peter Stringer joins Eoin Reddan and Isaac Boss as the third scrumhalf, despite having lost his place in Munster's Heineken Cup team to Tomas O'Leary - who has to settle for the second-string Irish squad for the Churchill Cup series.
New Ireland coach Declan Kidney, who will not be in charge for the June series as he is still involved with Munster, has preferred O'Leary to Stringer in the latter stages of Munster's march to the Heineken Cup Final.
It seems inconceivable that he would allow someone he rates so highly to be left at home during such a tour, regardless of whether he is in charge or not.
As it stands, however, the scrumhalf, who may well be a European Cup winner when touring gets underway, has only been deemed fit for the Churchill Cup, with Boss, Stringer and Reddan on the plane to New Zealand.
There is a welcome return from international exile for London Irish captain Bob Casey, but with the caveat that regardless of how he does against the Baa-baas at Kingsholm he will be demoted to the Churchill squad instead of going on tour.
Casey has not worn the green jersey since winning his fifth cap in 2000, but has this year led his side to the semifinal of the Heineken Cup - where they were beaten by Toulouse and been instrumental in their re-emergence as a force in the club game.
The interim Ireland coaching staff announced 37 players in the initial squad for the warm-up game against the Barbarians and the tour due to the Munster players being unavailable for the encounter with the Baa-baas on May 27.
There additional players will only be involved in the Barbarians selection.
Following the Barbarians game and the return of the Munster players, the squad will then be reduced to the final 30 players to travel on tour.
The additional players who were involved in the Barbarians game will then move out of the senior squad and will be included in the Ireland A squad for the Churchill Cup.
Commenting on the tour, interim coach Michael Bradley said: "New Zealand is a undoubtedly one of the most challenging places to tour and to win test matches and that is quickly followed up with a game against an Australian side that will have the fresh input of a new coach and are always among the top sides in the world.
"We are travelling on the tour with a strong squad conscious of the fact that IRB world ranking points are available and that is what we are playing for."
Ireland squad:
Forwards: Neil Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)*, Rory Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster), Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)*, Bob Casey (London Irish)*, Ryan Caldwell (Dungannon/Ulster)*, Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)*, Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster), John Hayes (Bruff/Munster), Jamie Heaslip (Clontarf/Leinster), Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster), Bernard Jackman (Clontarf/Leinster), Shane Jennings (St. Mary's College/Leinster), Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster), Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster), Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster), Mick O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster), Malcolm O'Kelly (St. Mary's College/Leinster), Alan Quinlan (Shannon/Munster), Mike Ross (Harlequins)*, David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster), Bryan Young (Ballymena/Ulster).
Backs: Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Isaac Boss (Ballymena/Ulster), Ian Dowling (Shannon/Munster), Girvan Dempsey (Terenure College/Leinster), Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht), Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster), Shane Horgan (Boyne/Leinster), Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster), Geordan Murphy (Leicester), Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster- captain), Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster), Eoin Reddan (Wasps), Jonathon Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)*, Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster), Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster).
* Players for Barbarians match squad, but will not be travelling to New Zealand and Australia.
Not considered due to injury: Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster - Arm), Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster - Shoulder), Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster - Leg).
Churchill Cup (Ireland A) squad:
Forwards: *Neil Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Ryan Caldwell (Dungannon/Ulster), *Bob Casey (London Irish), Tom Court (Malone/Ulster), Sean Cronin (Shannon/Munster), *Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster), Denis Fogarty (Cork Constitution/Connacht), Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), *Trevor Hogan (Shannon/Leinster), Daragh Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster), *Johnny O'Connor (Corinthians/Connacht), David Pollock (Queens University/Ulster), Michael Ross (Harlequins), Donncha Ryan (Shannon/Munster), *Roger Wilson (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster).
Backs: Gary Brown (Blackrock College/Leinster), Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Keith Earls (Garryowen/Munster), Ian Humphreys (Leicester), Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster), *Kieran Lewis (Garryowen/Munster), Keith Matthews (Buccaneers/Connacht), Mark McCrea (Malone/Ulster), Frank Murphy (Leicester), John Murphy (Leicester), Fergus McFadden (UCD/Leinster), *Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster), Johnny Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster).
Not considered: Declan Fitzpatrick (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Niall Ronan (Shannon/Munster), Barry Murphy (U.L. Bohemians/Munster).
