Sport

Mc Quilkin the only player retained to face Italians

INTERNATIONAL centre, Kurt McQuilkin is the only player in the Leinster side to meet the Italian Zebras in Genoa tomorrow night…

By EDMUND VAN ESBECK
Thu Sept 05 1996 - 01:00

INTERNATIONAL centre, Kurt McQuilkin is the only player in the Leinster side to meet the Italian Zebras in Genoa tomorrow night who started in Leinster's 36-24 defeat by Benetton in Treviso last Sunday.

McQuilkin played at outside half in that encounter and was replaced during the game by Richard Governey who is now chosen to partner Alain Rolland at halfback.

Dean Oswald, who also came on as a replacement for Trevor Brennan late in the game against Benetton, is named on the open side flank.

None of the players in the squad who will be engaged in the match between Munster and the Irish XV at Thomond Park have been selected as was agreed prior to the tour.

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Leinster manager Jim Glennon said yesterday: "Our aim going on the tour was to give every player a match on the tour. We selected the team against Benetton with Ireland's requirements on Sunday in mind. The conditions were bad for the match against Benetton but we played badly in many respects. We are hoping for a performance tomorrow night that will show vast improvement on the display we gave on Sunday."

The Ulster team to meet Dungannon in Stevenson Park tomorrow night shows five changes from the team that defeated Ballymena 20-5 on Tuesday night.

Neil Doak comes in at scrum half for Andy Matchett in the only change in the back line. The other four alterations are in the pack. Clement Boyd is at prop lord Gary Leslie, Kevin Gallagher in the second row for Gary Longwell, Tony McWhirter and Kevin McKee in the back row for Steve McKinty and Denis McBride. McBride was injured in the match against Ballymena and may be doubtful for the Irish XV against Munster.

The Ulster selectors have chosen three Dungannon players to play against their club, Stanley McDowell, Charlie Simpson and Jon Patterson. There is, too, some doubt about Boyd's fitness and if he is ruled out it is likely that Leslie, another Dungannon player, could also be playing "against his club in a match that is Ulster's final outing prior to the interprovincial series.

Representative calls and injuries mean that Lansdowne will be without no fewer than 13 players for the Leinster League tie against Skerries on Saturday.