O’Driscoll Back, O’Callaghan Starts

Brian O’Driscoll returns to the Ireland team to play Wales in the RBS
Six
Nations Championship in Lansdowne Road on Sunday (3.00pm) as captain
and as
one of two changes from the side defeated by France in Paris on
Saturday
last.

O’Driscoll has recovered from a hamstring injury to replace Kevin
Maggs at
inside centre and earns his 47th cap in a new midfield partnership
with
Gordon D’Arcy, who retains O’Driscoll’s traditional outside centre
position.

In the second row, Donncha O’Callaghan, who has won all his eight
previous
caps as a replacement since making his debut in the corresponding
game last
year, is chosen to play for the first time in place of 60 times capped
Malcolm O’Kelly, who is now in the replacements.

The only other change in the replacements sees Kevin Maggs replace
Anthony
Horgan and if Maggs is called into the game he will earn his 60th cap.

The Ireland v Wales match will mark the 45th cap milestone for full
back
Girvan Dempsey and the 40th test appearance for out half Ronan O’Gara.

The Ireland team to play Wales in the RBS Six Nations Championship in
Lansdowne Road on Sunday 22nd February at 15.00hrs is as follows:

15 – Girvan Dempsey (Leinster – Terenure College)
14 – Shane Horgan (Leinster – Lansdowne)
13 – Gordon D’Arcy (Leinster – Lansdowne)
12 – Brian O’Driscoll (Leinster – Blackrock College) capt
11 – Tyrone Howe (Ulster – Dungannon)
10 – Ronan O’Gara (Munster – Cork Constitution)
9 – Peter Stringer (Munster – Shannon)
1 – Reggie Corrigan (Leinster – Greystones)
2 – Shane Byrne (Leinster – Blackrock College)
3 – John Hayes (Munster – Shannon)
4 – Donncha O’Callaghan (Munster – Cork Constitution)
5 – Paul O’Connell (Munster – Young Munster)
6 – Simon Easterby (Llanelli)
7 – Keith Gleeson (Leinster – St. Mary’s College)
8 – Anthony Foley (Munster – Shannon)

Replacements:
16 – Frank Sheahan (Munster – Cork Constitution)
17 –
Simon
Best (Ulster – Belfast Harlequins)
18 – Malcolm O’Kelly (Leinster –
St.
Mary’s College)
19 – Victor Costello (Leinster – St. Mary’s
College)
20 –
Guy Easterby (Rotherham)
21 – David Humphreys (Ulster – Dungannon)
22 –
Kevin Maggs (Bath)
Not considered due to injury: Denis Hickie (Leinster – St. Mary’s
College),
Marcus Horan (Munster – Shannon), Eric Miller (Leinster – Terenure
College),
Mike Mullins (Munster – Old Crescent) Geordan Murphy (Leicester), Alan
Quinlan (Munster – Shannon), David Wallace (Munster – Garryowen)