O’Driscoll Named in Ireland 22.

Brian O’Driscoll looks almost certain to feature in Ireland’s opening Royal Bank of Scotland Six Nations opener against France after being named in a reduced squad this afternoon.

The reduced squad of 22 players from which the Ireland team to play France in the RBS Six Nations championship in Paris on February 14, will be announced on Tuesday next, is: –

Forwards: Shane Byrne (Leinster – Blackrock College), Reggie Corrigan
(Leinster – Greystones), Victor Costello (Leinster – St. Mary’s
College),
Simon Easterby (Llanelli), Anthony Foley (Munster – Shannon), Keith
Gleeson
(Leinster – St. Mary’s College), John Hayes (Munster – Shannon),
Marcus
Horan (Munster – Shannon), Donncha O’Callaghan (Munster – Cork
Constitution), Paul O’Connell (Munster – Young Munster), Malcolm
O’Kelly
(Leinster – St. Mary’s College), Frank Sheahan (Munster – Cork
Constitution).
Backs: Gordon Darcy (Leinster – Lansdowne), Girvan Dempsey (Leinster –
Terenure College), Guy Easterby (Rotherham), Shane Horgan (Leinster –
Lansdowne), Tyrone Howe (Ulster – Dungannon), David Humphreys (Ulster
–
Dungannon), Kevin Maggs (Bath), Brian O’Driscoll (Leinster – Blackrock
College) Captain, Ronan O’Gara (Munster – Cork Constitution), Peter
Stringer
(Munster – Shannon).

Players omitted from the 34 strong preliminary Six Nations
squad have been released to return to their provinces for Celtic League duties as of noon today (Thursday).

The team to play France will be announced on Tuesday next,
February
10th , at the Banqueting – Leisure Centre, City West Hotel at 12.45 pm approx.,
following a training session at Naas RFC.