Elevated by Ireland at a heated moment

International Tour Ireland team to play Samoa: The flame-haired Anthony Horgan slumped into a chair in the lobby of Aggie Grey's Hotel. The temperature gauge nudged 91 degrees Fahrenheit, the cloying humidity almost visible in its intensity.

He had just returned from Ireland's first training session since landing in Apia, Samoa, late on Monday night.

The 26-year-old Cork Constitution, Munster and Ireland A wing wasn't feeling too much pain, not since being informed at Tuesday morning's squad meeting that he would win his first cap for Ireland against Samoa on Saturday morning, 3.30 a.m., Irish time.

Horgan is one of four changes to the team that beat Tonga. Girvan Dempsey, a late withdrawal because of severe stomach problems is reinstated at full back, Horgan replaces Tyrone Howe on the left wing, Marcus Horan returns to the front row while Alan Quinlan is named at openside flanker ahead of Kieron Dawson.

Horgan becomes the third player to be handed a first cap by coach Eddie O'Sullivan during this summer tour following in the footsteps of Mark McHugh and Simon Best.

There is also a good probability Ballymena and Ulster hooker Paul Shields and Leinster's Aidan McCullen could join that select group as they have been named among the replacements.

No one was more surprised at his elevation to the starting XV than the Corkman. "I thought I'd be more or less on holidays, in a way over here. I didn't expect there to be too many changes from the side that beat Tonga. Obviously when my name was called out I was a little bit shell-shocked," he admits.

He has retained his sense of humour despite his new status.

"Anthony Foley is running his one cap wonder side so hopefully I'll get out of that soon enough. I came out here a little bit unfit; I haven't played that many games this season. I was probably a little overweight but have lost 6kgs in two and a half weeks. That should stand to me.

"It definitely hasn't sunk in. I haven't been on to anyone at home because it is an ungodly hour. You don't have your mobile so you're not getting the text messages and phone calls. It's an unreal feeling. Two days before the game I'll probably start to get nervous. I don't normally but I have a feeling I will this time."

Fate has been anything but kind to Horgan in recent times. Last season, two days before the European Cup final, he broke his hand in training and missed Munster's final defeat by Leicester at the Millennium Stadium. It also ruled him out of Ireland's tour to New Zealand that summer. Given the defections he probably would have won a first cap there. This season he was laid low by a shoulder operation.

"I have been riddled with injuries and they have come at the wrong time; a trip to New Zealand and a European Cup final, things that don't come around too often.

"They do get you down to the point of thinking that even if I do get back on the Munster team, the people that were filling my shoes were doing very well. Certainly I wouldn't have been looking at getting capped at the end of this season. It's an opportunity that I didn't think would come so it is totally in my hands at this stage."

The soaring temperatures - the Test match kicks off at 3.30 p.m. on Friday afternoon, local time - are hardly ideal for any of the visitors, let alone one with red hair and a typically Irish complexion.

"I'll just put on my factor 60 and play away; reapply it at half-time," he laughed.

Assistant coach Declan Kidney who coached Horgan at Pres Cork and Munster was delighted for his former pupil: "He has shown good form in his career, not always been lucky with injury but is getting the chance to prove his ability."

O'Sullivan referred to Horgan's elevation as a "need to look down the order in certain positions but I don't think we could be accused of weakening the team by making a number of different selections".

Ronan O'Gara came through training, albeit without any contact for his wrist injury, but is expected to be fine. Samoa's recent form under coach John Boe and assisted by former All Black legends Michael Jones and Inga Tuigamala has been excellent and this, along with the conditions, occupied O'Sullivan's thoughts.

"We have to manage the pace of the game. If it turns into a seven-a-side tournament, it'll be very difficult for us. We'll have to contain their physicality. The general opinion is that Samoa are a better rugby team than Tonga. They have had a good run of form on their Australian tour. Conditions are going to be much hotter and more humid than in Tonga.

"The heat is very sapping with the humidity. That's going to be a big test. I was here before with the Eagles (1999). Heat and humidity was a factor even for the Americans. The bench (replacements) will be an issue. What you don't want is to sustain an injury early on because that burns up a reserve and possible fresh legs when you need them later in the game.

"I think a win on Friday would be good on a number of fronts. It would be good to win in these conditions. It would be good to win because we changed the side and are looking a number of different combinations. It would be a good way to finish the season and I think it would be good for morale if they could put another win with the Tonga game. Samoa have a well structured game, very patterned, very well organised."

Never mind the heat.

Name Age Caps Points

G Dempsey 27 34 45 (9 tries)

J Kelly 29 11 30 (6 tries)

M Mullins 32 15 15 (3 tries)

J Bell 29 34 40 (8 tries)

A Horgan 26 0 0

R O'Gara 26 31 288

(3 tries, 54 pens, 54 cons, 1 dr gl)

G Easterby 32 15 25 (5 tries)

M Horan 25 9 0

S Byrne 31 18 0

R Corrigan 32 22 0

P O'Connell 23 7 5 (1 try)

L Cullen 25 12 0

S Easterby 27 20 20 (4 tries)

A Quinlan 28 15 5 (1 try)

E Miller 27 31 10 (2 tries)

REPLACEMENTS: P Shields, E Byrne, D O'Callaghan, A McCullen, B O'Meara, P Burke, G D'Arcy.