RUGBY: Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan has confirmed that Paul O'Connell is fit to take his place in the secondrow, alongside Malcolm O'Kelly, for tomorrow's Six Nations Championship match against Scotland at Lansdowne Road.
The Munster lock hasn't played since damaging his left shoulder against France, missing Ireland's victory over Wales. There was still a doubt about his fitness when the Irish team was named on Tuesday with O'Sullivan content to leave a couple of vacancies but his return is a great boost for the team. O'Kelly has won the right to partner his fellow Lion with Donncha O'Callaghan, who started against Wales, reverting to the bench. Mick O'Driscoll drops out of the match 22.
Munster have added Christian Cullen and Mike Mullins to their squad for the knock-out stages of the Heineken European Cup as both players are close to a return to fitness following long-term injuries. The rules of the tournament allow the eight quarter-finalists to supplement their squad by two players.
Both were injured and therefore overlooked when Munster submitted their original squad last September. Mullins is recovering from an Achilles tendon injury picked up in a pre-season friendly while Cullen is recovering from a shoulder injury sustained in the Celtic League game against Cardiff Blues at the Arms Park the previous March. The duo have been back in training for the past number of weeks, gradually increasing the amount of contact. Munster coach Declan Kidney is satisfied with their progress.
The final few months of the season are to be Mullins's swansong after seven years with the province. He will return to his native New Zealand to coach NPC Division Two side North Otago. The 35-year-old has made 112 appearances for Munster since his arrival in 1999. The Auckland native was drafted into the Irish side by Warren Gatland seven years ago, playing 16 Tests for Ireland and nine for the Ireland A team.
He began his coaching career four years ago as assistant to the Old Crescent seniors and has guided the club's under-20s as well as the Glenstal Abbey school SCT for the past two seasons.
Leinster coach Michael Cheika has also added a couple of players to his European Cup squad in outhalf Jonathan Sexton and centre-cum-wing Gary Brown. There is also likely to be confirmation in the next few days that New Zealand second row Bryce Williams will join Bourgoin at the end of the season on a two-year deal with Munster's Trevor Hogan - who is currently sidelined with a broken arm - replacing the Kiwi at Leinster.
Meanwhile, the suggestion that Connacht's Australian outhalf Paul Warwick would soon be available to play for Ireland on the residency rule has been scuppered. The 24-year-old, who is completing his second season with Michael Bradley's men, has been ruled out of playing for Ireland as he has represented Australia at Sevens level.
There were hopes that Warwick, top scorer in the European Challenge Cup last season, would become available to Ireland once he had completed the three-year residency rule in 2007. However, Connacht chief executive Gerry Kelly pointed out that IRB stipulations confirmed Warwick's ineligibility to declare for Ireland.
"The IRB looked at the situation and confirmed that a player who represents a country at Sevens is thereafter ineligible to declare for another country.
"Players can play for one country up to and including the under-21 grade and then declare for another country once they satisfy residency rules, but a Sevens players is, unfortunately, ruled out."
Kelly also moved to dismiss speculation that Warwick's future could lie with Munster next season. The Australian is contracted to Connacht until the end of next season. Warwick joined the province on a one-year deal in 2004 from Manly in Australia and last season signed a two-year extension.
His haul of 97 points made him top scorer in the European Challenge Cup last season, outscoring English outhalf Charlie Hodgson of eventual winners Sale Sharks by five points. He has notched 205 points in 31 Celtic League games for Michael Bradley's men.
Italy coach Pierre Berbizier has made three changes to his starting line-up for tomorrow's clash against Wales in Cardiff. Experienced fullback Cristian Stoica is omitted in favour of Parma's Ezio Galan in a solitary switch behind the scrum. Up front, injured Stade Francais flanker Mauro Bergamasco is replaced by Maurizio Zaffiri with Agen lock Santiago Dellape returning to the second row instead of Carlo Del Fava.
ITALY (v Wales): E Galon; P Canavosio, G Canale, Mirco Bergamasco, L Nitoglia; R Pez, P Griffen; S Perugini, F Ongaro, C Nieto, S Dellape, M Bortolami (capt), S Parisse, M Zaffiri, J Sole. Replacements: C Festuccia, A Lo Cicero, M Castrogiovanni, C Del Fava, A Zanni, S Picone, C Stoica.
