Injuries hamper Ireland's preparations

Six Irish players - Denis Hickie, Shane Horgan, David Wallace, Peter Clohessy, Malcolm O'Kelly and captain Keith Wood - took no part in Ireland's training session yesterday because of injury ahead of the Test match against Samoa at Lansdowne Road on Sunday.

Coach Warren Gatland will announce the Irish team at lunch-time today and it is expected at least three of the aforementioned players will not make the starting line-up. The Ireland A team to play New Zealand at Ravenhill next Tuesday will be confirmed at the same press conference.

It was confirmed yesterday Ireland centre Brian O'Driscoll won the Players' Association try-of-the-year award for his effort in the first Test of the Australia-Lions series. Australian scrumhalf George Gregan won the player-of-the-year award - O'Driscoll and Wood were two of five players nominated in that category - while Jason Robinson captured the newcomer-of-the-year trophy. Both O'Driscoll and Wood are also on the five-man shortlist for the International Board's (IRB) player of the year.

The All Blacks suffered an injury setback when Justin Marshall was forced to withdraw from the New Zealand squad for their forthcoming tour of Ireland and Scotland. The Canterbury scrumhalf suffered a heel muscle injury in training on Monday and will be replaced by Mark Robinson of North Harbour. The All Blacks are already deprived of the injured Christian Cullen and Jeff Wilson.

Robinson (26), has played four matches for the All Blacks, including one Test. He scored on his debut against Wales A in 1997 and received his cap in the home series against England in 1998. The All Blacks squad is due to arrive at Dublin Airport at lunchtime tomorrow.

Meanwhile, England coach Clive Woodward has named Jason Robinson at full back for Saturday's Test against Australia at Twickenham. The Sale Sharks player will make his first home start for England in a team showing seven changes from the side that lost their third consecutive Grand Slam decider against Ireland a fortnight ago.

Robinson's selection, in place of Bath's out-of-form Iain Balshaw, is a reaffirmation of Woodward's commitment to attack at all cost. The extent of the changes, however, is as much an admission he got it wrong in Dublin as a demonstration of England's strength in depth.

Into the starting line-up comes Austin Healey on the wing, a fresh front row in Phil Vickery, hooker Dorian West and Graham Rowntree who ousts Jason Leonard. Leicester second-row Ben Kay for Simon Shaw and Wasps flanker Joe Worsley for Martin Corry are the other changes up front.

Wales coach Graham Henry has made six changes from the team beaten by Ireland and hands a debut at outhalf to rugby league convert Iestyn Harris. The Cardiff outhalf will start against Argentina on Saturday just 200 minutes into his rugby union career.