Ireland squad session hit by injuries

The Ireland team management has named a 44-man squad to attend training at the ALSAA complex next Monday. The presence of several walking wounded represents a comprehensive list of the form players in Irish rugby.

The absence of Ballymena wing James Topping, Newport's Matt Mostyn and Jeremy Staunton of Garryowen can be attributed to the fact they are part of the Ireland squad which heads for the Sevens World Cup in Argentina later this month.

Kieron Dawson (London Irish), Simon Easterby (Llanelli) and Emmet Farrell (Blackrock College) were not considered due to injury. Easterby will miss the entire Six Nations Championship, a fate that may also befall Dawson while Farrell's return to competitive fare is about a month away.

St Mary's College flanker Trevor Brennan once again misses out although he could dispute his omission on the strength of forthcoming Heineken European Cup matches for Leinster. He has competed with Terenure's Eric Miller for the blindside flanker's role during the campaign but a hand injury to Miller should allow Brennan to start on Friday night against Edinburgh Reivers.

Miller broke a thumb in Leinster's warm-up victory over Munster at Musgrave Park last Friday night and yesterday underwent an operation to repair the damage. The in-form flanker misses Leinster's last two Pool games, a potential quarter-final tie and Ireland's opening game in the Six Nations against Italy. He has been asked to attend the session.

A surprise absentee is Lansdowne and Leinster prop Reggie Corrigan, although the fact he has just returned from injury might have been the reason. Galwegians flanker Johnny O'Connor maintains his place in the squad although he is likely to play in the under-21 internationals.

Llanelli scrumhalf Guy Easterby should be fit by the end of the month while Harlequins outhalf and former Irish points record-holder Paul Burke should be back in action sooner. Both are expected to travel to Dublin.

Wasps centre Rob Henderson is another who should travel without participating - he has not fully recovered from a shoulder operation - but Terenure full back Girvan Dempsey has made excellent progress after tearing ankle ligaments against South Africa.

The All-Ireland League Division One programme due to be played on January 6th but postponed because of the provincial warm-up games last weekend will now take place on April 28th. Matches postponed on December 30th, 2000, are provisionally arranged for January 27th, 2001.

These will be subject to the outcome of European Cup matches on January 13th and 20th. If one or more of the Irish provinces qualify for the quarter-finals due to take place on January 27th, then alternative arrangements will have to be made.