Elwood looks for a bit more 'grunt'

Rugby: Wolfhounds coach Eric Elwood expects a significant step up in both his side's performance and the standard of opposition when Ireland look to bounce back from last week's defeat to Scotland against England Saxons on Friday.

The call-up of three Wofhounds - Gavin Duffy, Tomás O’Leary and Kevin McLaughlin - to the senior side has forced him into a number of changes ahead of the Ravenhill match (7.30pm), but up front sees the return of a couple of key men.

At fullback Duffy’s place will be taken by Leinster’s David Kearney, while scrumhalf O’Leary is replaced by Isaac Boss. McLaughlin’s blindside flanker berth will be filled by Connacht’s Mike McCarthy.

Injury to Tony Buckley means Ulster’s Declan Fitzpatrick will start at tighthead prop and the Munster secondrow partnership of Donnacha Ryan and Mick O’Driscoll is preferred to that of Devin Toner and Ian Nagle, thought the latter is named on the bench.

It is in the secondrow that Elwood sees the difference being made. While there were positives from last week’s 32-13 defeat at Netherdale, where his side dominated the opening half, the second half saw them bullied up front and starved of possession.

“I think there was some good things we can take out of the last game,” said the coach today, “but this week sees another step up for the players in terms of opposition and while some of the guys have moved onto the senior team, which is great to see, we have some quality experience coming back into the team with Micko (O’Driscoll) and Donnacha (Ryan) giving us some great grunt in the forwards, which will be really important this Friday.”

“I want the players who were involved last week to learn from the game where in the first half we really bossed the contact area.

If we can do that and be accurate in the set piece, we have enough talent in the side to cause any side real problems at this level, but we will have to improve to match a good Saxons team.

“Playing at home is a great plus for us and hopefully we will have a big Ravenhill crowd to make it a good atmosphere to help give those home supporters a good performance and a win.”

England Saxons head coach Stuart Lancaster has made three changes to the side that won 45-17 against Italy A at Worcester last weekend, with Gloucester prop Paul Doran-Jones, London Wasps scrumhalf Joe Simpson and Bath fullback Nick Abendanon all included.

Doran-Jones comes in for Joe Marler (Harlequins) with Alex Corbisiero (London Irish) swapping sides in the frontrow. Simpson takes over from Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens) while Abendanon returns in place of Mike Brown (Harlequins).

"We were pleased with the performance given that we went into the game with only three days’ preparation, but Ireland is a significantly different challenge and there are plenty of areas we need to improve," said Lancster today. "We’re away from home and Ireland will be on the rebound from their defeat against Scotland A as well as looking to avenge their defeat at The Rec against us last year. So it’s about stepping up our intensity and focus this week. We’ll be going into the game with confidence but also very wary and respectful of what Ireland will bring.

"We’ve got one or two boys who have come back to us from Portugal where Martin Johnson and the senior coaches were keen to have a look at them. The boys who have come down have all been involved before and know the environment well.”

Ireland Wolfhounds (v England Saxons):David Kearney (Lansdowne - Leinster); Johne Murphy (Young Munster - Munster), Eoin O'Malley (Old Belvedere - Leinster), Nevin Spence (Ballynahinch - Ulster), Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution - Munster); Ian Humphreys (Ballymena - Ulster), Isaac Boss (Terenure College - Leinster); Brett Wilkinson (Galwegians - Connacht), Damien Varley (Garryowen - Munster), Declan Fitzpatrick (Dungannon - Ulster); Donnacha Ryan (Shannon - Munster), Mick O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution - Munster); Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers - Connacht), Willie Faloon (Ballynahinch - Ulster), Chris Henry (capt) (Ballymena - Ulster)

Replacements:Nigel Brady (Dungannon - Ulster), Jamie Hagan (Corinthians - Connacht), Ian Nagle (Cork Constitution - Munster), Dominic Ryan (Lansdowne - Leinster), Paul Marshall (Belfast Harlequins - Ulster), Ian Keatley (Galwegians- Connacht), Fionn Carr (Galwegians- Connacht)

England Saxons (v Ireland Wolfhounds):Nick Abendanon (Bath Rugby); James Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester Rugby), Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), Billy Twelvetrees

(Leicester Tigers), Ugo Monye (Harlequins); Stephen Myler (Northampton Saints), Joe Simpson (London Wasps); Alex Corbisiero (London Irish), Lee Mears (Bath Rugby), Paul Doran-Jones (Gloucester Rugby); Graham Kitchener (Worcester warriors), Christian Day (Northampton Saints); James Gaskell (Sale Sharks), Chris Robshaw (capt) (Harlequins), Luke Narraway (Gloucester Rugby).

Replacements: James Buckland (London Irish), Joe Marler (Harlequins), George Robson (Harlequins), Andrew Saull (Saracens), Paul Hodgson (London Irish), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Mike Brown (Harlequins)