Miller and O’Kelly to start for Ireland

Eric Miller, back in the Ireland team having recovered from injury, signs autographs after training at Greystones this morning (© Inpho)

Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan has made two changes for Saturday's crucial Six Nations match at Twickenham naming both Eric Miller and Malcolm O'Kelly in his starting XV.

With just one absentee through injury from the Ireland training camp this week, albeit the captain Keith Wood, coach Eddie O’Sullivan was afforded a luxury of sorts when selecting his team with the return of Miller and O’Kelly from injury.

The duo missed missed the Six Nations curtain raiser at Lansdowne Road - the record-breaking 54-10 rout of Wales - through injury (O’Kelly with a fractured cheekbone and Miller with a stomach illness) but having emerged from their respective club games at the weekend unscathed, both players were deemed fit for inclusion.

O’Kelly regains his place in the second-row alongside Mick Galwey in the absence of Paul O’Connell, who suffered concussion against the Welsh, with Ulster’s Gary Longwell, a first-half replacement for O’Connell at Lansdowne, again starting on the bench.

Miller, having played the full 80 minutes of Terenure’s win over Blackrock at the weekend, returns to the fold at the expense of Llanlli’s Simon Easterby.

Speaking about his team selection, O’Sullivan explained neither change was easy, particularly given the teams performance against Wales, but believes the both are the right ones.

"Both decisions were difficult to make," he told reporters this afteroon. "But we made them on the basis that both would have been the first choices before the Wales game. But both need big performances.

"Eric Miller was the form player going into the Wales game. He'd been in outstanding form throughout the season and he's fully fit again, although it was a very tight call.

"Malcolm O'Kelly is a middle-of-the-line jumper and we needed that extra option. He came back against St Mary's and came through that fine."

The only other injury worry for O’Sullivan, that of Frankie Sheahan who sat out training yesterday, was dispelled this morning at Greystones where the hooker was fit to train. Sheahan retains his place in the front row in the continued absence of Keith Wood.

Mick Galwey will captain Ireland for the second time, leading out the side at Twickenham in what many are already describing as a Six Nations decider.

Galwey has tasted Twickenham before, playing a part in Ireland’s memorable defeat of England in 1994. However, since that win, Irish ambition has consistently foundered beneath the imposing grandstands and Galwey is keen to buck an unwelcome trend.

"I’ve played in Twickenham a number of times," said Galwey. "We won back in ’94 but haven’t enjoyed too many happy memories since. We even lost the European Cup final there with Munster against Northampton.

"England seem to be able to beat anyone at Twickenham. They play their best rugby there, and a victory for us would be a massive achievement."

England haven’t been beaten at home since the All Blacks toured in October 1999, a fact not lost on the Irish team and management.

As David Humphries explains: "England, on their day, are the best team in the world."

Backs: Girvan Dempsey(Leinster), Geordan Murphy (Leicester), Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster), Kevin Maggs (Bath), Denis Hickie (Leinster), David Humphreys(Ulster), Peter Stringer (Munster)

Forwards: Anthony Foley (Munster), Eric Miller (Leinster), David Wallace (Munster), Malcolm O'Kelly (Leinster), Mick Galwey (capt) (Munster), John Hayes (Munster), Frank Sheahan (Munster), Peter Clohessy (Munster).

Replacements:Shane Byrne (Leinster), Paul Wallace (Leinster), Gary Longwell (Ulster), Simon Easterby (Llanelli), Guy Easterby (Llanelli), Ronan O'Gara (Munster), Rob Henderson (Munster).

Backs: Paddy Wallace, Gordon Darcy, John Kelly, Mike Mullins, Tyrone Howe, Paul Burke, Neil Doak

Forwards: Reggie Corrigan (Capt), Paul Shields, Simon Best, Leo Cullen, Jeremy Davidson, Alan Quinlan, Keith Gleeson, Victor Costello

Replacements: 16 Gavin Hickie, 17 Marcus Horan, 18 Bob Casey, 19 Andy Ward, 20 Ben Willis, 21 Jason Holland, 22 Anthony Horgan.