Henderson to bolster defence

In the immediate aftermath of the victory over Italy there seemed a distinct possibility that Ireland would field the same side for three successive games for the first time in 17 years. In the event, Shane Horgan's untimely knee injury changed this and it transpired an unforced change was in the offing when the Irish management yesterday revealed that Rob Henderson would start against France.

Hence, Mike Mullins goes to the bench, while Kevin Maggs returns, this time on the right wing, for the absent Horgan (who should return for Lansdowne on Saturday week) in the only two changes from the side which recorded back-to-back victories over Scotland and Italy.

Dion O'Cuinneagain has been demoted from the bench to the A team, and his place is filled by both Trevor Brennan and Andy Ward, the latter called up due to a minor injury concern over resident openside Kieron Dawson.

The decision by the Irish management that super sub himself is worth playing from the start reflects Henderson's good form of late, and perhaps also concerns about the inside midfield defence, where admittedly Ronan O'Gara has probably been as culpable as the demoted Mullins.

"There's a little bit of horses for courses in it, in that we felt that we needed to tighten up the defensive area in the 10-12 channel and also Rob Henderson has done very well when he's come on in the last two games," explained Donal Lenihan.

Denis Hickie has scored all his five tries on the left wing and has again looked more potent on that flank, and so Maggs readily agreed to the management's request that he play on the rightwing for the first time. "It really didn't worry him (Maggs) one way or the other," revealed assistant coach Eddie O'Sullivan. "I think there's probably too much made of whether wings play left or right. A good footballer can play on either wing and sometimes a good footballer can play on the wing even though he's never played there before, like Shane Horgan," O'Sullivan reasoned.

With regard to Dawson's hip injury, Donal Lenihan said: "Our medical opinion is that he will be fit to play the match. He's not 100 per cent right yet, so we've decided to let a final decision go until Friday at the latest." Hence, Ward's inclusion in a 23-man squad and because of the four-hour train journey between the A venue, Clermont-Ferrand, and Paris, he will remain with the senior squad for the week.

The A team and squad shows a number of changes, mostly due to injuries. Dominic Crotty returns at full back with Geordan Murphy reverting to right wing. John Kelly, Mick O'Driscoll and Eric Miller are all injured, and are replaced by Jan Cunningham, Jeremy Davidson and O'Cuinneagain, while Ward's promotion to the senior squad means a call-up for Alan Quinlan. Surprisingly, Tony McWhirter, good player though he is, has been picked on the replacements' bench ahead of Victor Costello.

The revolving door at A level is customary, but contrasts sharply with the re-applied stability in the Test squad - what had been a Gatland trait prior to the post-Twickenham clean-out - and consistent selection generally equals successful results.

The last time Irish selectors nominated the same side for three successive games, Ireland were at full steam. Indeed the same 15 players negotiated all four championship games in '83, when three wins out of four earned a share of the championship, and included the last win over France.

The previous year, when Ciaran Fitzgerald's team won the Triple Crown, was the last time Ireland won three successive matches in the championship, and in '85 just 16 players were used when Ireland won the Triple Crown and the championship; Rory Moroney replacing an injured Brendan Mullin in the 1515 draw with France - the last time Ireland avoided defeat in the fixture.

The old joke then was that it was harder to get off the Irish side than onto it. But maybe it wasn't as funny as we thought.

Scotland (v Wales): C Paterson (Edinburgh Reivers); C Moir (Northampton), G Townsend (Brive), J Leslie (Newcastle) capt, G Metcalfe (Glasgow Cal); D Hodge (Edinburgh), A Nicol (Glasgow Cal); S Reid (Narbonne), B Pountney (Northampton), M Leslie (Edinburgh); S Grimes (Newcastle), S Murray (Saracens); M Stewart (Northampton), S Brotherstone (Brive), T Smith (Brive). Replacements: G Bulloch, D Hilton (both Glasgow Cal), D Weir (Newcastle), C Mather (Edinburgh), B Redpath (Narbonne), J McLaren (Bourgoin), A Bulloch (Glasgow Cal).