Stringer back for Croke Park

Ireland will have their first choice halfback partnership at their disposal when England visit Croke Park after it was confirmed Peter Stringer has recovered sufficiently from his hand injury to take his place behind the scrum.

Stringer's progress was slow earlier in the week and coach Eddie O' Sullivan opted on Tuesday to postpone the decision on whether to play the Munster man or to stick with Ulster's Isaac Boss, who was drafted in for the defeat to France almost two weeks ago.

Stringer's hand was bandaged in training at Croke park this morning, but he nonetheless engaged in contact training for the first time this week.

O'Sullivan said today: "We are happy that Peter's hand has healed and that he has shown no negative reaction to the injury during training over the last few days."

Stringer's deputy against France Isaac Boss will revert to the bench while eoin Reddan drops out of the matchday squad.

Stringer will renew his long-standing partnership with Ronan O'Gara on Saturday and the outhalf is hoping  his return will add that little bit more intensity to Ireland's game and allow him a chance to dictate the play.

"It's going to be important to get into the game a little bit quicker than we did against the French as a combination," said O'Gara this week.

The team will train again tomorrow afternoon but O'Gara will not be given a chance to practice under the new lights, which, he says, are quite different from those in other stadia.

The outhalf admitted this week that the new home was "like a new ground, an away ground", and kicking under the lights in poor light, because of the 5.30 pm kick-off, will be another new experience.

"No I won't (practice), I don't have that option," added O'Gara. "That's the way it is, maybe a few years ago it would have bothered me, but that's an excuse."

The England team, meanwhile, travel to Dublin this afternoon but it is not yet clear as to whether winger Jason Robinson will be on board the flight. Robinson injured his neck in training yesterday and coach Brian Ashton has drafted in 23-year-old wing David Strettle as cover.

The Harlequins player is the form winger at the moment and has been scoring tries regularly for both his club and England A.