Davidson should be ready to face All Blacks

Jeremy Davidson is expected to be available for Ireland's clash with New Zealand at Lansdowne Road on November 15th. Initial fears that the London Irish second row sustained serious knee ligament damage during Sunday's English League Division One defeat by Gloucester at Kingsholm have been allayed.

Irish team manager Pat Whelan said: "The injury is not as bad as initially feared. Jeremy will be out for two to three weeks but we are happy that he will be available for the All Blacks game.

"He went to see a specialist who confirmed that a couple of weeks' rest should suffice. Our own doctor was in contact with the relevant people in London and he is satisfied with the situation."

Ireland must already plan without David Corkery (ankle) and Simon Geoghegan (toe), both injured.

Davidson lasted just seven minutes of the Gloucester game, falling awkwardly when contesting a lineout and straining a lateral ligament in his left knee. He was replaced almost immediately by fellow Irish international Gabriel Fulcher.

While Davidson's absence will come as a huge blow to London Irish as they chase a first league victory of the season against Wasps at the weekend, a fortnight's rest may provide the ideal opportunity to recharge batteries.

His exploits with the Lions in South Africa have ensured a hugely demanding schedule with little time to rest. It is hardly coincidental that several Lions tourists have struggled to make an impact in both the European Cup and early English league matches.

Whelan will be pleased that one of the mainstays of the Irish pack should be at the disposal of the Irish management when they begin the serious business of selecting a team.

Several additional national contracts are expected to be announced at the squad session. While this will provide a fillip for the chosen few, the process of culling a squad, unwieldy in its present number, will also begin.

Coach Brian Ashton has stated that the composition of the team to face New Zealand is becoming increasingly clear-cut.

An interested onlooker at Kingsholm on Sunday, he will have noted the performances of second row Malcolm O'Kelly and flanker Kieran Dawson, whose athleticism and all-round impact provided some encouragement on a generally dismal day for the Irish. To compensate for Davidson's absence, Bath's Brian Cusack has been invited to join the squad for tomorrow's gathering at the ALSAA complex. Shannon's promising young flanker Alan Quinlan and the injured Jonathan Bell (hamstring) have also been requested to attend.

St Mary's College flanker Trevor Brennan was also chosen but holiday commitments are expected to preclude his presence.

The most prominent absentee is Paul Burke, the Bristol out-half who was named in the original national panel last June.

Meanwhile, the Smithwicks Old Belvedere Floodlit Cup matches scheduled for tonight and tomorrow night have been cancelled. Bective Rangers have withdrawn from the competition because of injury problems, a fate that also befalls Old Wesley. As a result holders, Blackrock College will meet Lansdowne in a quarter-final on November 5th.