Casey is rested again but will play

Fittingly enough, on what is known as Groundhog Day, the Irish squad went through their paces once more at Dr Hickey Park in Greystones yesterday and, as was the case 24 hours earlier, Bob Casey's ankle strain curtailed his involvement.

However, Irish manager Donal Lenihan maintained that Casey's absence was "purely precautionary" and no replacement was called up prior to the squad's transfer from Wicklow to Chelsea Harbour yesterday afternoon.

On a sun-kissed second day of spring, the session was a little lighter than the previous day's, and mindful of the increasing preponderance of "spying", this morning's session in London will be closed (all of England's sessions have been this week).

The Irish management were not surprised by England's selection, Lenihan admitting it was the starting XV they expected. "Perhaps even a little more than ourselves, England have been hit by the World Cup and injuries, and don't have quite as experienced a side as last season, but they are still a very strong side with a particularly good middle five."

Meanwhile, France have dropped World Cup captain Raphael Ibanez for tomorrow's Championship opener against Wales in Cardiff. Hooker Ibanez, who led France to the World Cup final last November and a Five Nations Grand Slam in 1998, makes way for 32-year-old Marc Dal Maso.

It is the second major blow for Ibanez since new coach Bernard Laporte took charge, having lost the captaincy to Toulouse forward Fabien Pelous. Pelous and Abdel Benazzi, France's World Cup final locks, move to the back row alongside Montferrand openside Olivier Magne as Laporte fields a huge pack.

Behind the scrum, Laporte has juggled his options, of which the most intriguing move is Thomas Castaignede's selection at full-back. The Castres playmaker has featured at out-half and inside centre during his glittering Test career, but now takes on another challenge.

France (v Wales): T Castaignede (Castres); E Ntamack (Toulouse), T Lombard (Stade Francais), R Dourthe (Dax), C Dominici (Stade Francais); C Lamaison (Brive), F Galthie (Colomiers); C Califano (Toulouse), M Dal Maso (Colomiers), F Tournaire (Toulouse), L Matiu (Biarritz), O Brouzet (Begles-Bordeaux), A Benazzi (Agen), O Magne (Montferrand), F Pelous (Toulouse, capt). Replacements: D Venditti (Brive), A Penaud (Toulouse), C Laussucq (Stade Francais), S Betsen (Biarritz), T Lievremont (Perpignan), P De Villiers (Stade Francais), R Ibanez (Perpignan).