International Squad Announced

The 31 strong Ireland squad for The Royal Bank of Scotland Six Nations opener has been announced and will assemble this week in the Citywest Hotel in Saggart ahead of a three day training session. Training wll be conducted at Naas RFC and the squad will be reduced to 22 next Friday with the actual starting line-up due to be announced on Wednesday (12th).

Forwards:Simon Best (Ulster/Belfast Harlequins), Shane Byrne (Leinster/Blackrock College), Reggie Corrigan (Leinster/Greystones), Victor Costello, (Leinster/St. Mary’s College), Leo Cullen (Leinster/Blackrock/College), Jeremy Davidson (Ulster/Dungannon), Simon Easterby (Llanelli),
Justin Fitzpatrick (Ulster/Dungannon), Anthony Foley
(Munster/Shannon), Keith Gleeson (Leinster/St. Mary’s College), John Hayes (Munster/Shannon), Marcus Horan (Munster/Shannon), Gary Longwell (Ulster/Ballymena), Eric Miller (Leinster/Terenure College), Malcolm O’Kelly
(Leinster/St. Mary’s College), Alan Quinlan (Munster/Shannon), Frank Sheahan (Munster/Cork Constitution).

Backs: Gordon Darcy (Leinster/Lansdowne), Girvan Dempsey (Leinster/Terenure
College), Guy Easterby (Llanelli), Rob Henderson (Munster/Young Munster), Denis Hickie (Leinster/St. Mary’s College), Shane Horgan (Leinster/Lansdowne), David Humphreys (Ulster/Dungannon), John Kelly (Munster/Cork Constitution), Kevin Maggs (Bath), Geordan Murphy
(Leicester), Ronan O’Gara (Munster/Cork Constitution), Brian
O’Driscoll (Leinster/Blackrock College) capt, David Quinlan (Leinster/Blackrock College), Peter Stringer (Munster/Shannon).

The following players were not considered due to injury: Jonathan Bell (Ulster/Dungannon) Justin Bishop (London Irish), Emmet Byrne (Leinster/St. Mary’s College), Tyrone Howe (Ulster/Dungannon), Paul O’Connell (Munster/Young Munster), David Wallace (Munster/Garryowen), Paul Wallace (Lenister/Blackrock College), Keith Wood (Harlequins).
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