Already numbering 25, the Irish squad was further expanded yesterday with the addition of Trevor Brennan, Simon Easterby and Barry Everitt in response to a wave of injuries which forced the cancellation of yesterday's planned training session ahead of Sunday's Test match against Samoa at Lansdowne Road.
Accordingly, today's scheduled announcement of the Ireland team to play Samoa has been postponed by 24 hours to lunchtime tomorrow at Lansdowne Road. Likewise, the announcement of the Ireland A team to play New Zealand at Ravenhill on Tuesday, November 13th has also been postponed until tomorrow.
For the record, the 15 players who were medically ruled out of yesterday's aborted training session were John Hayes (shoulder), Brian O'Driscoll (recurrence of knee), Eric Miller (shoulder), Mike Mullins (ankle), Peter Clohessy (bronchitis), David Wallace (shoulder), Malcolm O'Kelly (wrist), Shane Horgan (recurrence of ankle), Denis Hickie (shoulder), David Humphreys (recurrence of ankle), Keith Wood (thigh), Girvan Dempsey (ankle), Kevin Maggs (shin), Jonathan Bell (recurrence of ankle), Frankie Sheahan (eye cut).
The players whose injuries are causing the most concern to the Irish team are Dempsey, Hickie, O'Driscoll, Humphreys, Wallace and O'Kelly.
In the case of Dempsey and Hickie, additional cover is already being provided by Jeremy Staunton and Gordon D'Arcy, who might not be a million miles away from their full international debuts. Likewise Jonathan Bell for O'Driscoll on the premise Mike Mullins may to start the game.
Everitt's call-up is fair reward for the manner in which the former Garryowen, Munster and Leinster outhalf has rebuilt his career at London Irish with a particularly productive run of form this season.
The other fringe contender, Paul Burke, has missed Harlequins' last two games in the Heineken European Cup against Castres with a recurring shoulder/arm problem.
In a slightly more surprising selection decision, Alan Quinlan's more proven versatility across the back row didn't get him the nod as cover ahead of Easterby, though the latter also has some experience at number eight, whereas Keith Gleeson is a specialist openside.
The Samoans, too, have their injury problems with team captain and lock Tom Curtis (Achilles tendon) almost certainly ruled out, as most likely will be centre Elvis Seveali'j (knee). However, they've called up big-name reinforcements in the hugely influential and inspirational Inga Tuigamala, Brian Lima and the former Samoan sevens captain and Cardiff back-rower Semo Sititi, all of whom linked up with the squad at their airport hotel base yesterday.
Meanwhile, Ulster full back Bryn Cunningham sustained a cut on his thigh playing against Stade Francais last Friday night. The 23-year-old required extensive stitching and has been advised to rest for about a month.
Putting injury matters and rugby matches in perspective however, Humphreys' wife Jayne gave birth to their second child, a son, on Sunday. James Humphreys weighed in at 7lbs 10ozs.
