ONE man's misfortune is another man's good fortune. Twenty seven year old Ross Nesdale, the Newcastle hooker, was subscribing to that philosophy yesterday.

Nesdale - will become the third New Zealand born player to play for Ireland when he lines out in the International Championship match against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.

Nesdale was called into the side yesterday afternoon when Northampton hooker Allen Clarke, who had been named in the side when it was announced on Sunday, withdrew because of the hand injury he sustained playing for his club last Saturday.

Clarke is ruled out because he cracked the third metacarpal bone in his left hand. Clarke retained some hope that he might be able to play, but that was dashed yesterday when he visited a specialist and was told he will not be able to play for a few weeks.

Ireland manager Pat Whelan said yesterday: "Allen Clarke contacted me after he had seen the specialist and was told that he could not play. It is very hard luck on him. When we selected him we obviously did so in the hope that he would be fit, but we did know that he had a hand injury". Clarke is the third Irish hooker to be ruled out by injury this season, following Keith Wood and Paul Cunningham.

Nesdale's elevation to the team means that Shane Byrne (Blackrock) moves from the A side to the senior bench. Mark McDermott (Lansdowne) will now take over the hooking berth on the A side and Bill Mulcahy (Skerries) has been called into the replacements for the A team. McDermott played against France in the A match last Saturday week.

Nesdale, who had been initially named in the replacements, travelled from Newcastle to Dublin on Sunday and then on to Limerick yesterday to join the Ireland squad. Shortly after he arrived in Limerick, Whelan called him aside and told him that he will be in the team for Cardiff.

"I knew that Allen Clarke had a problem, but was not sure what to expect when I arrived in Limerick," said Nesdale, whose Irish qualifications come from his grandfather who came from Bantry.

"When Pat Whelan told me I was in the side, I was obviously delighted. It is an ambition realised. I suppose it is not the ideal way to get in the side because of injuries to Keith Wood and now Allen Clarke, but when I left New Zealand and joined Newcastle in April 1995, I did so with the intention of progressing my career.

"I was understudy to Sean Fitzpatrick on the Auckland side, but he showed no signs of giving up, and that is what prompted my decision. As I travel on an Irish passport, I was eligible to play in Newcastle straight away and did not have to seek a work permit. Playing alongside Nick Popplewell has obviously helped me and of course I am especially pleased that we will be together on Saturday."

Nesdale, a cousin of former Ireland second row Tom, comes from just outside Palmerston North and was captain of Auckland University for three years.

"I felt when I was chosen as a replacement on the A side against South Africa in November I was progressing and then I got a run in the closing stages of the A match against France. I hope and feel I can make a worthwhile contribution to Ireland," said Nesdale.

"I have seen him play for Newcastle on a couple of occasions and, of course in the A match against France," said Whelan. "He is a very good player with a good pedigree. He has a good all round game, is a good thrower, and will fit into the side well. He has experience of the big occasion and that will help him on Saturday."

Kurt McQuilkin who is a replacement on Saturday and Sean McCahill, who came on a replacement against Fiji in 1995, are the other two New Zealanders to have won full caps for Ireland.

A decision on the fitness of out half Eric Elwood, who is under treatment for a hamstring strain, will be made tomorrow. But Whelan and Elwood himself are confident he will be able to play.

The Ireland training schedule was badly disrupted yesterday because of fog at Shannon airport. Seven of the English based players, including team captain Jim Staples, were unable to get to Limerick until late yesterday afternoon. Therefore, the planned afternoon training session at the Limerick University ground was cancelled and the session took place under the floodlights at Thomond Park last night.

Brian Ashton, who joined the coaching team only five days before the match against France, now has a more thorough knowledge of the Irish players.

"I have now got to know the players and obviously feel more settled in my mind," he said. "I think I can approach this week's preparation in a far more competent manner right from the very start. I really spent some of the time before the French match getting to know the players. That is not ideal four days before an international. I now feel more comfortable."

He said he felt the Welsh display against Scotland was "a rather mixed performance. Some unforced errors, quite a bit of ball turn over, but they do have players such as the number eight, the half backs and centre who can make something out of nothing... But we will be working hard during the week on our game and countering the Welsh," he added.

The squad training sessions today and tomorrow will now be open rather than closed as was originally planned.