Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan has confirmed his 22-man squad for Saturday week's Test match against South Africa, and it includes Ulster duo Bryan Young and Paddy Wallace.
...Ulster's Bryan Young who made his Ireland debut as a replacement in the second Test against New Zealand last June...
Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan has confirmed his 22-man squad for Saturday week's Test match against South Africa - the first fixture of the Guinness Autumn Test Series - and it includes Ulster duo Bryan Young and Paddy Wallace.
Prop Young, who gained two caps during the summer tour, and the uncapped out-half Paddy Wallace have both made the list of twelve forwards and ten backs. Wallace's inclusion comes on the back of some impressive run-outs with Ulster this season.
The Irish team and replacement for the clash with the Springboks (Lansdowne Road, kick-off 5pm) will be finalised next week.
The squad for the first Test of the 2006/07 season shows four changes to the matchday 22 that was selected for last June's 37-15 defeat to Australia in Perth.
Hooker Jerry Flannery (injured), lock Mick O'Driscoll, flanker Keith Gleeson and utility back Jeremy Staunton have lost their places to the fit-again Frankie Sheahan, Malcolm O'Kelly and Simon Easterby, and the recalled Wallace.
The 27-year-old Wallace, who was Ireland 'A' out-half for the recent Churchill Cup, was a member of the Irish squad for the 2003 Rugby World Cup, but is still chasing his Test debut.
O'Sullivan commented: "I'm keeping one eye on the World Cup and am considering a bit more depth in the squad, certainly in some positions. There are new faces and I would like to use the three games to get more people on the pitch.
"Having said that, I'm not going out with the attitude that it's an experiment - it's not. We want to win the three Test matches, but we have more elbow room. The first game (against South Africa) will tell us a lot about how we are and hopefully we'll have more room for manoeuvring over the course of the three games."
IRELAND SQUAD (v SOUTH AFRICA, Lansdowne Road, Saturday, November 11):
Forwards (12):
Neil Best ( Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Rory Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Simon Easterby (Llanelli)
John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)
Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster)
Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
Malcolm O'Kelly (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Frankie Sheahan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
Bryan Young (Ballymena/Ulster)
Backs (10):
Isaac Boss (Ballymena/Ulster)
Girvan Dempsey (Terenure College/Leinster)
Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Shane Horgan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Geordan Murphy (Leicester)
Brian O'Driscoll (Blackrock College/Leinster) (capt)
Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
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