On Wednesday, the new Ireland Club International management team was named. Well known Cork Constitution coach Brian Walsh has been named as coach of the Ireland side. Walsh will be assisted by Brian Hyland of UCC, while Donal Brennan will take on the team manager duties.

A 44-man squad for the AIB Club International has also been announced. The squad was selected throughout the AIB League season to date with club coaches asked to put forward names of opposition players that had impressed them.

In addition to this, a four-man team of selection advisors: Roly Meates (Leinster) Chairman of Advisors, Ciaran Smith (Connacht), Finbarr Dennehy (Munster) and David Smyth(Ulster) have been monitoring games and recommending players for consideration.

The squad, which consists of 18 players from Munster clubs, 17 players from clubs in Leinster, seven players from Ulster and two from Connacht, will be reduced to a match squad of 22 players on Monday, February 11. The team to play Scotland will be confirmed in advance of the game.

The AIB Club International is part of the IRFU Community Rugby Programme and gives non-contracted club players the opportunity to win representative honours for Ireland and to showcase the club game at the highest possible level. Players must be eligible to play for Ireland and play club rugby in Ireland.

AIB CLUB INTERNATIONAL SQUAD 2008

FORWARDS

(23)

Ron Boucher (Lansdowne)

Rory Brosnan (Garryowen)

Ian Caldwell (Ballymena)

Ross Condren (Greystones)

Simon Crawford (Clontarf)

Matt Crockett (St. Mary’s College)

Martin Gately (Highfield)

Conor Hartigan (Highfield)

Dave Harty (Dolphin)

Hugh Hogan (St. Mary’s College)

Anthony Kavanagh (Garryowen)

Adrian Kirkpatrick (Ballymena)

Alan Maher (Lansdowne)

Peter Malone (Garryowen)

Kieron Moloney (Blackrock College)

Stephen Nolan (Terenure College)

Simon Shawe (Ballymena)

Rob Sweeney (St. Mary’s College)

Merle O’Connell (Cork Constitution)

John Ed O’Connor (UL Bohemians)

Shane O’Connor (Cork Constitution)

Alex O’Sullivan (Greystones)

Damien Varley (Garryowen)

BACKS

(21)

John Anderson (Malone)

John Cleary (Galwegians)

Sam Cronin (UCC)

Ruairi Cushion (Old Belvedere)

Brian Dennehy (UCC)

Andrew Finn (Shannon)

Cronan Healy (Cork Constitution)

Derek Keane (Clontarf)

Barry Keeshan (Dolphin)

Alan Kinsley (Garryowen)

Killian Lett (UCD)

Eric Moloney (Dolphin)

Dave McAllister (Terenure College)

Richard McCarter (Dungannon)

Dave McKechnie (Greystones)

Max Rantz McDonald (Clontarf)

Robbie Shawe (Galwegians)

Greg Stafford (Lansdowne)

Glen Telford (Dungannon)

Ed Torrie (UL Bohemians)

Craig Woods (Ballymena)

* Selection criteria for the AIB Club International side:

– Players must be eligible to play for Ireland

– Players must play club rugby in Ireland

* Players not eligible for selection are:

– All players contracted to the IRFU professional teams, including development players

– All designated club professional players

– No full-time professional player who was contracted for more than three years

– Members of this season’s Ireland Under-20 team