RUGBY/News round-up: Shane Horgan will not be considered for selection for Ireland's penultimate Six Nations Championship match against Wales at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff tomorrow week, writes John O'Sullivan.
The Leinster centre is making good progress from a torn quadricep but the Ireland team management decided the Welsh game was an unrealistic goal in his rehabilitation.
It is expected he will be available for the England game, if required, the following Sunday.
There was better news for team coach Eddie O'Sullivan as a result of medical scans on Ulster second row Gary Longwell and his provincial team-mate David Humphreys, both of whom were injured in Ireland's victory over France.
Longwell had a scan on the damaged hamstring which forced him to retire just before half-time in the French game and it confirmed there was no tear. O'Sullivan is optimistic he will be available despite not training in this week's two-day camp.
Humphreys had his arm in a sling for a couple of days after suffering a bruised bicep against France. He was also excused training but will be included in the Ireland squad for the Welsh game when it is announced today.
Girvan Dempsey, a late withdrawal for the second match running against France, has rested a groin injury all week on medical advice and the team management are hopeful he can shake off the niggling problem.
Paul O'Connell and Emmet Byrne are set to confirm their return to fitness tomorrow after being given permission to play for Young Munster and St Mary's respectively in All-Ireland League club matches. Those named on the replacements bench against France can also play club games this weekend.
Meanwhile, a bonus point system is to be introduced for this year's World Cup in Australia. Teams will be awarded an extra point for scoring four tries in a match or in losing by less than seven points in a pool match. This system has been in use for several years in the Southern Hemisphere Super 12 series.
The new format was approved by the five-man board of Rugby World Cup Ltd and has been ratified by the International Board, the sport's governing body.
The move is set to encourage teams to play attractive rugby but could place a strain on a country's top players. The stronger nations may have to abandon the practice of playing virtual shadow teams against so-called weaker opposition. However, the scheme should lend itself to more attacking rugby. In tightly contested pools like Ireland's - they find themselves alongside Australia, Argentina, Namibia and Romania - the system could have a major bearing on the outcome.
The opening game of the World Cup takes place in Stadium Australia between the host nation and Argentina on October 10th. National team managers will have a chance to air their views on this and other changes not yet revealed at a meeting in Sydney at the end of next month.
The Ireland under-19 and youth squads are set for a busy schedule later this month and early next month. The under-19s head for the FIRA World Cup in Paris, which starts in the second week of April, with Ireland facing Italy in their opening match. Should they win that tie they would probably play the two-time defending champions New Zealand. The youths squad head on a two-match tour of Italy at the end of the month which will include an international against their hosts on March 29th.
