O’Gara Back For The Scotland Game.

Ronan O’Gara is included in the 22-man squad from which the Ireland team to play Scotland in their concluding pre World Cup warm up match on Saturday next, September 6th, will be chosen.

Ruled out of Ireland’s 35-12 win
over Wales on August 16th and yesterday’s eight-try 61-6 runaway victory against Italy, O’Gara has been declared fit again having undergone surgery on a wrist injury following his last Irish appearance in the 40 – 14 win over Samoa on June 14, the concluding game of Ireland’s summer tour.

Also included in the squad for Scotland is Victor Costello. X-rays have shown that he dislocated, and not fractured, a little finger against Italy.

However, ruled out is try scorer John Kelly, who sustained a rib cartilage injury, the extent of which will be clarified early next week. John Hayes and Shane Horgan were once again not considered because of in jury.

Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivansaid, For our third and final pre World Cup warm up game, we have chosen a panel with a strong spine but I would emphasise there are still a number of positions up for grabs as regards World Cup selection.”

Along with O’Gara, others named in the Scottish game squad who did not play at Thomond Park are fellow backs, Peter Stringer, Kevin Maggs and Anthony Horgan and forwards, Keith Wood, Simon Best, Paul O’Connell, Malcolm O’Kelly and David Wallace.

The Ireland squad from which the team to play Scotland will be chosen is:
Forwards (12): Simon Best (Ulster – Belfast Harlequins), Shane Byrne (Leinster – Blackrock College), Reggie Corrigan (Leinster – Greystones), Victor Costello (Leinster – St. Mary’s College), Kieron Dawson (London Irish), Simon Easterby (Llanelli), Marcus Horan (Munster – Shannon), Eric Miller (Leinster – Terenure College), Paul O’Connell (Munster – Young Munster), Malcolm O’Kelly (Leinster – St. Mary’s College), David Wallace (Munster – Garryowen), Keith Wood (Munster);

Backs(10): Girvan Dempsey (Leinster – Terenure College), Guy Easterby (Rotherham), Denis Hickie (Leinster – St. Mary’s College), Anthony Horgan (Munster – Cork Constitution), David Humphreys (Ulster – Dungannon), Brian O’Driscoll (Leinster – Blackrock College), Ronan O’Gara (Munster – Cork Constitution), Kevin Maggs (Bath), Geordan Murphy (Leicester), Peter Stringer (Munster – Shannon).

Additional players for training: Jonathan Bell (Ulster-Dungannon), Emmet Byrne (Leinster – St. Mary’s College), Gordon Darcy (Leinster-Lansdowne), Anthony Foley (Munster-Shannon), Tyrone Howe (Ulster-Dungannon), Rob Henderson (Munster-Garryowen), Donncha O’Callaghan (Munster-Cork Constitution), Alan Quinlan (Munster-Shannon);