Eleven Players Added To Ireland Squad

Eleven players – including rehabilitating duo Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy – have been added to the 22-man Ireland squad which featured in the 40-13 RBS Six Nations win over Scotland.

Eleven players – including rehabilitating duo Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy – have been added to the 22-man Ireland squad which featured in the 40-13 RBS Six Nations win over Scotland.

The additions – five forwards and six backs – have rejoined the Irish panel, and from the bulked-up 33, coach Eddie O’Sullivan will choose his squad for the eagerly-awaited Lansdowne Road clash with World champions England on Sunday, February 27th.

O’Sullivan will announce that squad on Wednesday, February 23 at the Banqueting – Leisure Centre, City West Hotel at 12.45pm approx.

The following are the eleven players added to the Ireland squad:

Forwards (5):

Simon Best (Ulster – Belfast Harlequins), Bernard Jackman (Connacht – Clontarf), Alan Quinlan (Munster – Shannon), Denis Leamy (Munster – Cork Constitution), Gary Longwell (Ulster – Ballymena).

Backs (6):

Tommy Bowe (Ulster – Belfast Harlequins), Kieran Campbell (Ulster – Dungannon), Gordon D’Arcy (Leinster – Lansdowne), Anthony Horgan (Munster – Cork Constitution), Brian O’Driscoll (Leinster – Blackrock College) (Capt), Shaun Payne (Munster – Dolphin).

22-man Ireland squad (against Scotland):

Geordan Murphy (Leicester); Girvan Dempsey (Leinster – Terenure College), Shane Horgan (Leinster – Lansdowne), Kevin Maggs (Ulster – Belfast Harlequins), Denis Hickie (Leinster – St. Mary’s College); Ronan O’Gara (Munster – Cork Constitution), Peter Stringer (Munster – Shannon); Reggie Corrigan (Leinster – Greystones), Shane Byrne (Leinster – Blackrock College), John Hayes (Munster – Bruff), Malcolm O’Kelly (Leinster – St. Mary’s College), Paul O’Connell (Munster – Young Munster), Simon Easterby (Llanelli), Johnny O’Connor (Wasps), Anthony Foley (Munster – Shannon).

Replacements: Frank Sheahan (Munster – Cork Constitution), Marcus Horan (Munster – Shannon), Donncha O’Callaghan (Munster – Cork Constitution), Eric Miller (Leinster – Terenure College), Guy Easterby (Leinster – Blackrock College), David Humphreys (Ulster – Dungannon), Gavin Duffy (NEC Harlequins)