McQuilkin out for rest of season

JONATHAN BELL is expected to be available for consideration when the Ireland selectors meet tonight to finalise the team to meet England at Twickenham tomorrow week in the International Championship. But centre Kurt McQuilikin is not alone ruled out of contention for the team, he will be out for the rest of the season.

McQuilkin, who won caps against United States, Scotland and France and was a replacement for the match against Wales, has chipped and cracked his right elbow. McQuilkin sustained the injury playing for the Barbarians against East Midlands in Northampton on Wednesday.

McQuilkin said yesterday: "I went into a tackle and my arm got caught awkwardly. I thought first the arm was broken as I had no feeling in it. But it is not as bad as that. However, that is me out for the rest of the season. It is a disappointing way to end what has for me, been a wonderful season.

"It would be far worse had it happened earlier in the rugby year. If someone had told me at the start of the season that I would play for Leinster, for the Barbarians and for Ireland I would hardly have believed it possible. In those circumstances I can hardly complain."

McQuilkin, an IRFU development officer, will attend the Ireland squad sessions tomorrow and Sunday, but only as a spectator. Three sessions are scheduled, two tomorrow and one on Sunday morning.

Bell was due to play for East Midlands (in effect the Northampton club side) on Wednesday but withdrew on medical advice. But he notified the IRFU yesterday that he is available for selection for Twickenham. Ireland manger Pat Whelan said yesterday: "Jonathan Bell will have a thorough medical check so that we can be sure about his fitness and his availability for selection."

The original intention was to select the team on Wednesday morning, but that plan was altered when the selectors were informed of the problems surrounding Bell and McQuilkin.

Ireland coach Murray Kidd attended the match in Northampton and, on his return on Wednesday night, told his colleagues of the problems. "In the light of the uncertainty surrounding the fitness of the two players and, one or two other factors, we decided to defer finalising the team," said Whelan.

The centre is an area to which the selectors have and will devote a lot of time and attention. Bell, for all his potential, has not played anything as well as he did last season. He was also hit by influenza the week before Ireland played France and missed the training sessions before declaring fit.

One player well worthy of consideration in this area is Mark McCall. He has played splendidly for Ulster this season both at outside half and in the centre. He won the last of his three caps against Wales two years ago. He captained the Ireland A side throughout last season, but has not been chosen at A level this season.

Ray McIlreavy, a member of the Ireland under 21 team that won the Triple Crown last weekend, is perhaps the best tackling centre in the country, but the selectors are unlikely to take what they would see as too high a risk with a player so young.

The England team is due to be announced today and the general view is that the selectors will stand by the side that defeated Scotland last Saturday.

Finally, the IRFU secretary, Philip Browne, said yesterday that, as yet, they have not received any response from the Welsh Rugby Union after submitting a video of the incident in the A international last Friday in which Welsh flanker Martyn Williams appears to stamp on Ireland second row Malcolm O'Kelly.

"I think the Welsh union is waiting until the video is examined by some of their officials who were attending the International Board conference in London earlier in the week," said Browne.