Ireland hardly favoured against formidable force

If you use the slide rule method and try to gauge how Ireland might do against England tonight in Donnybrook (7.0), just look to last weekend's 78-6 result against Scotland in the English team's favour

Given that Ireland drew with Scotland 'A' in their match in Sterling back in February, albeit against a different team, the slide rule will tell you that even in the hostile Donnybrook venue, Ireland face a tough obstacle in this formidable English side led by Leicester Tigers back row Martin Corry.

With full back Gordon D'Arcy and centre Gavin Duffy both late casualties, coach Matt Williams's initial injury problems have only been exacerbated. With Jeremy Staunton and Rob Henderson also sidelined, it is a significantly weakened Irish side.

In come Connacht's Mark McHugh for D'Arcy and Mike Mullins for Duffy, with Ulster lock Jeremy Davidson assuming the captaincy.

Having made his Test debut last week, Munster's Donncha O'Callaghan also drops down to the 'A' side to partner Davidson in what is a strong second row in a side in which London Irish's Barry Everitt at outhalf also gets his chance.

A few other players are back in the selectors' focus and extremely keen to impress in this, the last tournament game before attentions turn to the World Cup next autumn. Tyrone Howe arrives back on the wing, while Kieron Dawson, once a regular in the senior team, must wonder what he has to do to get back into a ferociously competitive senior back row.

But England, too, have a mix of wannabes and players just out of the eyeline of Clive Woodward. Capped 25 times, Corry himself last appeared for the senior England side during the 2002 Six Nations, but has found himself out of the frame since.

He has not started in all of the 'A' games thus far but will view the chance to lead as a Woodward incentive.

Vice-captain Andy Gomarsall has also felt the heat of tight selection, with outhalf Kyran Bracken, who played well last week as captain of the 'A' side, sneaking onto the senior bench just ahead of him.

There has also been a demotion for Leeds hooker Mark Regan, who has featured on the English bench throughout their Six Nations campaign but now spearheads the 'A' side's forward efforts.

With coach Joe Lydon in Hong Kong with the England Sevens squad, assistant coaches Simon Hardy and Phil Keith-Roach will assume responsibility for the team's preparation, but Ireland will still consider themselves as underdogs.

Having lost to France, beaten Italy, and drawn with Scotland, Ireland have so far had mixed results. There was no match against Wales because the cash-strapped Welsh Union cut back on teams to save money.

IRELAND 'A': M McHugh (Connacht); J Topping (Ulster), M Mullins (Munster), D Quinlan (Leinster), T Howe (Ulster); B Everitt (London Irish), B O'Meara (Leinster); E Byrne (Leinster), P Shields (Ulster), S Best (Ulster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), J Davidson (Ulster, capt), S Easterby (Llanelli), K Dawson (London Irish), D Dillon (Leinster). Replacements: J Blaney (Munster), P Bracken (Connacht), M O'Driscoll (Munster), A McCullen (Leinster), M Prendergast (Munster), A Horgan (Munster), J Holland (Munster)

ENGLAND 'A': D Scarbrough; P Christophers, F Waters, B Johnston, M Cueto; A King, A Gomarsall; J Forrester, A Vander, M Corry (capt.), C Jones, S Shaw, R Morris, M Regan, M Worsley. Replacements: A Titterrell, M Fitzgerald, T Palmer, H Vyvyan, N Walshe, O Barkley, M Stephenson.

Referee: G Davis (Scotland).