O'Sullivan keeps the status quo

There may have been a significant change in the coaching guard since Ireland's outing against the All Blacks last November, but the playing personnel has remained much the same. Indeed, there are more changes amongst the generals than the foot soldiers, writes Gerry Thornley.

For Eddie O'Sullivan's first game in charge against Wales on Sunday week in Lansdowne Road, there are only two alterations from the 22-man squad which did duty against the All Blacks.

One of those is enforced, with Simon Easterby coming in for the injured and cruelly unlucky Kieron Dawson, while Geordan Murphy was recalled ahead of Mike Mullins, a second-half substitute against New Zealand who now cannot even nudge his way into the A squad.

"It was a tough call but other players have become available again or are on form," explained O'Sullivan of Mullins' omission yesterday.

Basically, of those who took part in last week's get-together in Limerick, one man had to miss out and Mullins was the unlucky one, with Rob Henderson, Jonathan Bell and John Kelly named ahead of him. So Mullins joins the likes of Trevor Brennan, Jeremy Staunton and Barry Everitt (all of whom were in the squad against Samoa two games ago) outside of even the A squad and looking in.

While it's quite a fall for Mullins, the talented and more versatile Murphy undeniably gives the management more options as either a replacement or a starter. Not alone is he in a rich vein of form for Leicester, but as O'Sullivan stressed yesterday, Murphy has been playing regularly at full back for Leicester in the absence of the injured Tom Stimpson.

As the fixture list would have it, he happens to be going head-to-head with incumbent Irish full back Girvan Dempsey on Sunday.

Henderson is another of those back from an autumn injury, and the Irish coach admitted the Lion "might have sneaked in but hasn't played an awful lot of rugby lately. He tore his groin in the Celtic League final and we'd like to see him play a few more games. Besides (Kevin) Maggs is in good form at the moment."

The management have also left a vacancy in the squad at prop, and will await Leinster's selection and that quarter-final against Leicester on Sunday before filling the slot on Monday. O'Sullivan merely stated the vacancy would be filled by one of the four props named in a 23-man A squad. "I want to keep my options open until then."

Emmet Byrne, arguably the most adept at packing down on either side of the front row, had his first outing of any kind since appearing as a second-half replacement against the All Blacks on November 11th when playing for St Mary's last Saturday against Carlow, so therefore probably needs to start for Leinster in order to retain his place in the 22.

Otherwise, Paul Wallace, who has played the intervening five games for Leinster, or the revitalised Reggie Corrigan will be hoping to revive their Test careers.

There had been speculation that some up-and-coming players on the provincial circuit might have elbowed their way in under the new regime, but in the event the likes of Paul O'Connell and Keith Gleeson had to be content with places in the A squad, as are two scrumhalves uncapped at that level, Neil Doak and Ben Willis.

It's a fairly settled and seasoned squad, average age 27 with an average of almost 22 caps per man. Munster have the largest representation (eight) followed by Leinster's six (likely to rise to seven), two from Ulster and five from cross-sea.

"This is pretty much how we finished off in the autumn," agreed O'Sullivan of his first selection.

"The only players at the moment determined as unfit are Brian O'Meara and Kieron Dawson, although we've a few other players nursing injuries who we hope will all be fit. But all in all it was a relatively straightforward selection."

All the signs are that the starting XV could remain unchanged - provided there are no injuries. O'Sullivan and his staff will be crossing their fingers into early next week, primarily with regard to Keith Wood, Peter Stringer, Malcolm O'Kelly and Shane Horgan.

O'Sullivan agrees that ideally the Irish captain would need to play this Saturday for Harlequins against Northampton in order to ready himself for the Six Nations opener after a month's absence with a torn calf muscle.

"Well, obviously we would like him to play this week, but we'll see what happens at the weekend. Certainly I'm not going to make any definite decisions until I have to."

Similarly, the hope will be that Peter Stringer is named by Munster today and comes through their European Cup quarter-final against Stade Francais on Saturday after a month's absence with a fractured heel.

By comparison, the Irish management might not share Leinster's urgency with regard to Horgan (damaged ribs) and O'Kelly (bruised cheekbone).

Horgan looks like Leinster's bigger doubt, for the word emanating from their camp is that O'Kelly is ready and eager to play, having come through a couple of contact sessions on Monday and yesterday at full tilt with absolutely no reaction to his bruised cheekbone.

However, O'Sullivan commented yesterday: "It's not looking good for Mal at the weekend."

Hmmm. It wouldn't be a surprise if O'Kelly were pulled from the Leicester game at the behest of the Irish management.

IRELAND A SQUAD (v Wales A, at Musgrave Park, February 2nd, 2:30): Backs: Neil Doak (Ulster), Ben Willis (Leinster), Paul Burke (Harlequins), Rob Henderson (Munster), Jonathan Bell (Ulster), John Kelly (Munster), Paddy Wallace (Ulster), Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster), Tyrone Howe (Ulster), Anthony Horgan (Munster).

Forwards: Emmet Byrne (Leinster), Paul Wallace (Leinster), Reggie Corrigan (Leinster), Marcus Horan (Munster), Shane Byrne (Leinster), Paul Shields (Ulster), Paul O'Connell (Munster), Jeremy Davidson (Ulster), Leo Cullen (Leinster), Victor Costello (Leinster), Keith Gleeson (Leinster), Alan Quinlan (Munster), Tony McWhirter (Ulster).

The IRFU have announced that Kellogg's Nutri-Grain has become their official snack food for 2002.