Ireland left short in centre for summer tour
Friday, May 09, 2008
Ireland will have just one recognised centre when they embark on their summer tour to New
Zealand and Australia after Andrew Trimble was omitted from the squad.
Trimble has been troubled by a groin and knee injury since the World Cup and
Ulster have decided the 23-year-old requires rehabilitation.
Munster's Ian Dowling has been called up to plug the gap left by Trimble's
exclusion with the likes of Shane Horgan and Gavin Duffy expected to fill in alongside
captain Brian O'Driscoll.
Interim coach Michael Bradley today named a 37-man squad which will be whittled down
to 30 following the May 27th clash with the Barbarians at Kingsholm.
Leinster veteran Malcolm O'Kelly gets the opportunity to add to his 91 caps
with Alan Quinlan offering second row cover to Paul O'Connell, Donncha
O'Callaghan and Mick O'Driscoll.
Shane Jennings is the beneficiary of Simon Easterby's international retirement
with the Leinster openside included in the senior touring party.
FULL 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)