Fresh faces in 25-man squad

It's fresh, it's young, it's exciting, it's pretty much a form selection and, after the downer of the World Cup, Irish rugby needed all of that. Whether or not the Irish squad of 25 announced yesterday goes a long way, it's certainly designed with that in mind.

As Warren Gatland pointed out, it is not cast in stone that the eventual 22-man panel and starting lineup which the management selects sometime next week for the Six Nations opener at Twickenham on February 5th will come exclusively from the trimmed down squad. "One or two might change between squads yet. We're still looking at a number of options, at ten, at midfield, the loose-forwards and second row," said Gatland.

Even so, the winds of change have blown through the Irish squad and clearly, despite his own short-term contractual scenario, Gatland and his fellow management have more of an eye on the next World Cup than the last one.

All told there are five uncapped players in the squad: centre Shane Horgan, out-half Ronan O'Gara, scrum-half Peter Stringer, prop John Hayes and hooker Frank Sheahan. Despite the blend of fresh and seasoned players, the squad averages less than 14 caps per man, while the average age is 25. Furthermore, it's liable to get younger as the season progresses.

A "delighted" O'Gara said: "It's always nice to see you name there in black and white and I hope it'll be enjoyable." Unfortunately, O'Gara's ill-timed medial ligament strain, picked up within a few minutes of his first senior squad session last Monday morning, will rule him out of Cork Constitution's game at Dungannon tomorrow. Although he is confident enough that he should be fit enough for non-contact work next week, it did dampen O'Gara's enthusiasm a little bit.

Gatland dropped a broad hint that O'Gara would play at Twickenham. "I think Ronan has been the form number 10 and playing with confidence, like David (Humphreys) last year." But only if he's 100 per cent fit. "Otherwise it wouldn't be fair to him, on his first cap, or to the team."

In addition to the five uncapped players, there are recalls for the fit-again Girvan Dempsey as well as the Limerick causes celebres, Mick Galwey and Anthony Foley. Gatland has been highly impressed by the manner Foley has held the Munster back-row together and "done the donkey work and defensive work".

"At 26 or 27, he's still young enough and the thing is we're not expecting some of these players to be at their best until they're 28 or 29. He's a good head on him and he's skilful, even if he's not as quick as you'd like him to be. But he definitely has the physical attributes."

Munster predictably hog what Gatland describes as "a very fresh-looking squad" which largely reflects form, with 10 selections, followed by Leinster on six, with three Ulstermen and another half-dozen from abroad.

"Our big objective is to play well and to really give these new players confidence for later on in the championship," said Gatland.

Inevitably, therefore, there had to be casualties and on top of the injured quartet of James Topping, Brian O'Meara, Ross Nesdale and David Corkery, and the quintet of players already excluded from the original 45-man squad, there were a further four big-name members of the World Cup squad demoted to the nominal 25-man A panel yesterday - Eric Elwood, Paddy Johns, Eric Miller and Andy Ward, who have 128 caps between them.

"I know that a few players have missed out, but I've got to stress the point that we're starting to rebuild towards the next World Cup," said Gatland. "You know what you are going to get from certain established players but the best opportunity for a new cap to perform is with experienced campaigners around him and that's the balance we're trying to achieve."

Overall, the turnover in playing personnel is even more pronounced in the A squad selected for a separate two-day get-together next week. All told, there are a scarcely credible 16 uncapped players in this lot. Presumably Monday morning's run-out under a new coach (Declan Kidney) and new manager (Harry Williams) will, literally, be a getting-to-know-you session.

Since the 45-man squad announcement, Leinster's late run of good form has seen Reggie Corrigan re-promoted, along with the equally deserving Shane Byrne, as well as Leo Cullen, Derek Hegarty and Emmet Farrell. Also called up into the A panel are Shane McDonald, Mick O'Driscoll, Guy Easterby and Tyrone Howe. Meantime, Jeremy Staunton and Kieran Campbell (like Gordon D'Arcy) have been re-directed to the under21s.

It might disappoint fans of the rejuvenated and in-form Dennis Hickie that he has only made it as far as the A panel, but while Gatland has also been encouraged by Hickie's recent displays, the coach is eager to ease the Leinster flyer back into the frame.

IRELAND A TRAINING SQUAD: Backs: P McKenna (St Mary's College), G Murphy (Leicester), D Hickie (St Mary's College), T Howe (Dungannon), J Kelly (Cork Constitution), M Deane (Buccaneers), E Farrell (Blackrock College), E Elwood (Galwegians), D Hegarty (Terenure College), G Easterby (Ebbw Vale). Forwards: M Horan (Shannon), M Cahill (Buccaneers), R Corrigan (Lansdowne), S Byrne (Blackrock College), S McDonald (Corinthians), P Johns (Dungannon), L Cullen (Blackrock College), M O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution), E Miller (Terenure College), S Easterby (Llanlli), D Wallace (Shannon), A Quinlan (Shannon), A Ward (Ballynahinch).