Irish selectors still trying the tested

The country may have wanted 15 heads on the block in the immediate aftermath of Lens, but when push came to shove the Irish management were less reactionary or revolutionary than that. Ultimately, there are only four changes in personnel, and a couple of positional switches, from the side which started the World Cup play-off against Argentina.

By comparison, England will be the ones unveiling two new caps in a much-changed selection for Saturday's Six Nations opener at Twickenham. Of course, England have been hit with considerably more injuries and loss of form and have more to choose from, whereas Ireland's options were further reduced by Ronan O'Gara's withdrawal on Monday.

Had Girvan Dempsey and/or Dennis Hickie made a more compelling case, they might also have pushed their way back in, but with Tom Tierney always likely to be retained ahead of the uncapped and smaller Peter Stringer for this contest, save for the retention of fit-again former captain Dion O'Cuinneagain, there really weren't that many compelling options available.

Hence, yesterday's unsurprising team announcement sees the return of Peter Clohessy (who has lost only one game which he has started all season, and that was Munster's dead rubber away to Pontypridd), along with call-ups for Robert Casey (who came on as a replacement in Lens), Anthony Foley and Mike Mullins.

This takes Munster's representation up to five, and the latter two are accommodated by Kevin Maggs's switch to the left-wing and O'Cuinneagain's shift from number eight to six. It will, admittedly, be a first start for the talented Casey, and give championship debuts to O'Driscoll and Tierney.

Furthermore, aside from a change of captain in Keith Wood and a new assistant/ backs coach in Eddie O'Sullivan, there are nine changes in personnel from the 22 that night in Lens. The uncapped Frankie Sheahan and Stringer are on the bench, as is Mick Galwey, whose new moniker within the squad is "Lazarus".

"He's been a very inspirational character for Munster. He's a great leader in terms of what he has been doing for Munster and he brings that experience into the side," said Warren Gatland. "He's been involved in teams that have beaten England in the past, he's respected by the players and his input will be invaluable during the week."

Though we'll always wonder what might have been had Galwey been on the bench in Lens, the Irish management deny that he was jettisoned too soon. Galwey would probably have been 23rd man on Saturday, in a reprise of his role at Twickenham two years ago when he re-invoked the spirit of 1993 and '94 during the interval, but now, as Gatland wryly admitted: "You never know, the way things are going, he'll probably see some time on the pitch."

All of which is unlikely to assuage the more disgruntled post-Lens demands for change. Understandably, Gatland seemed to bridle a little at any reference to Lens at yesterday's press conference in the Glenview Hotel, preferring instead to draw a line under the World Cup and move on.

"A number of players were ruled out due to injuries and a couple of other players in the last few matches have picked up injuries as well. But in saying that, we feel we've picked the best side to play against England. Some players have come into form in the last few games. We've watched them pretty closely and this is a side we feel can do a job against England.

"I really don't want to dwell on the World Cup. We've addressed that as a team, we want to put it behind us. We think we've picked a side that are capable of giving us more attacking options in certain areas. That's one area we want to develop in our game."

Gatland is clearly hoping that several of those retained from the World Cup will benefit from the experience.

"Obviously there are some players who are coming into some significant form. We think we've got a big physical forward pack for this match and I think for us, as the players get a little bit older and more mature and little bit more experienced, the first thing we want to do is learn to handle pressure in matches."

There was a minor scare at yesterday's training session in Dr Hickey Park in Greystones (this morning's work-out at 10 o'clock will also be open) when Casey departed from the fray with a slight ankle strain, but once Donal Lenihan's furrowed brow was replaced with a smile, it was clear all was fine.

Having been fog-bound in Cork last week, David McHugh was on hand for Monday's closed session, helping the Irish players through the changed laws in the ruck, tackle, scrums and line-outs.

"Fortunately for us, the AIL players played under the new laws and they didn't encounter any huge difficulties with them," said Lenihan. There has been a further change to the Irish A team for Friday night's curtain-raiser in Northampton.

Paddy Johns has withdrawn with an ear infection, and is replaced by Constitution's Mick O'Driscoll, with Mark Blair called up to the bench, and the captaincy now passes to Shane Byrne.

Bath centre Mike Tindall, who was opposed by Brian O'Driscoll and Casey when the Irish under-21s beat their English counterparts 23-5 last season, and the Northampton wing Ben Cohen, also 21, are England's two new caps.

Tindall has the onerous task of filling the void left by the retirement of his mentor Jeremy Guscott, while Cohen, nephew of England 1966 World Cup medal winner George, gets his chance in light of injury to Dan Luger. With Will Greenwood still struggling to regain his best form, Tindall will be partnered by the mercurial Mike Catt in midfield. A couple more uncapped players, talented Bath three-quarter Iain Balshaw and Bedford scrum-half Andy Gomarsall are on the bench.

In the absence of Martin Johnson and Danny Grewcock up front, Garath Archer and Simon Shaw are the new second-row combination. However, Clive Woodward has resisted any temptation to change England's long-standing and potent back row, where Richard Hill is retained despite mixed club form.

When asked what to expect from an Irish team captained by Keith Wood, his counterpart Matt Dawson said: "To expect the unexpected. Like the rest, they regard us as the old enemy. It's a huge match for them and England never underestimate anybody, least of all the Irish. They'll be out to prove a point after their World Cup performances, which weren't up to standard, just like England's weren't."