O'Connor makes impression and the cut

The seasonal graphs of Brian O'Meara and 20-year-old Connacht openside flanker Johnny O'Connor continue to rise. O'Meara, third choice Munster scrumhalf last season, predictably makes the cut for Ireland's trimmed down squad of 30 in the absence of the injured Guy Easterby and seems certain to be on the bench for Ireland's opening Six Nations game against Italy in Rome. O'Connor may not make the cut for that but is one of three uncapped players named yesterday along with Anthony Horgan and Emmet Byrne.

While resident A-side scrumhalf Tom Tierney has been mostly on the Munster bench, O'Meara has benefited from a protracted run at interprovincial and European Cup level with Leinster.

"We went for the top players on form," said Warren Gatland yesterday. "You can't gauge the form of some players if they're sitting on the bench, even though they may potentially be better players."

As for O'Connor's inclusion, Gatland said: "He's been very impressive, particularly playing for a team that has been under pressure. Admittedly Connacht have played well in their last two games but he's constantly worked hard and shone out."

After O'Connor's Irish workout on Monday, Gatland remarked: "When he impresses the senior players in the squad by the way he's trained, which he did yesterday, you know he's got a future. He's a genuine seven. He's still plenty to learn but you don't want the finished article at 20, you want players who can keep developing."

Essentially the Ireland management met on Monday night to trim the 44-man squad by 14 for next week's two-day training sessions in Limerick, as a precursor to naming the 22man squads for both the Test and A games in Italy.

With three of that 44 ruled out through injury, Easterby, Eric Miller and Denis Hickie, this meant another 11 had to miss the cut: Marcus Horan, Peter Smyth, Shane Byrne, Bob Casey, Mick O'Driscoll, Victor Costello, Tony McWhirter, Tom Tierney, Eric Elwood, Paul Burke and Gordon D'Arcy.

One senses last weekend's renewal of European activity was a fairly significant one, and reinforced the need for a strong Munster spine again running through the Irish team. "The Munster players fronted up on Saturday, that was the biggest thing. It's still not the final squad, and we'll see how players perform for their provinces and in training next week."

The injuries to in-form players may mean an even stronger Munster representation, for in addition to a possible return for the leadership qualities of Mick Galwey, in part due to injuries to Simon Easterby, Kieron Dawson and Miller, the backrow could conceivably be selected en bloc from Munster. Alan Quinlan is a natural number six and would have a better understanding with Anthony Foley and David Wallace than Andy Ward would.

This would leave all bar Keith Wood and Malcolm O'Kelly from the provincial side in numbers one to 10. Shane Horgan could well revert to right wing, with Rob Henderson and Brian O'Driscoll in midfield, Tyrone Howe on the left wing and Girvan Dempsey at full back.

Moving next week's training sessions to the University of Limerick could almost be interpreted as tapping further into that Munster spirit. "With so many Munster players in the 30 (11) and them being guaranteed a quarter-final with the possibility of a home quarter-final, it seemed sensible to move the session there," said Gatland.

A relatively young, inexperienced 10-man Irish squad was also named yesterday for the Sevens World Cup at Mar del Plata, Argentina on January 26th-28th. The Irish management have fulfilled their promise to make James Topping and Matt Mostyn available despite reduced options on the wing caused by Hickie's injury.

Ireland squad: Backs - R O'Gara (Cork Constitution), D Humphreys (Dungannon), P Stringer (Shannon), B O'Meara (Cork Constitution), R Henderson (London Wasps), K Maggs (Bath), M Mullins (Young Munster), B O'Driscoll (Blackrock College), S Horgan (Lansdowne), A Horgan (Cork Constitution), T Howe (Dungannon), G Murphy (Leicester), G Dempsey (Terenure College), D Crotty (Garryowen).

Forwards - P Clohessy (Young Munster), J Fitzpatrick (Dungannon), J Hayes (Shannon), P Wallace (Saracens), E Byrne (Blackrock College), K Wood (Harlequins), F Sheahan (Cork Constitution), M O'Kelly (St Mary's College), G Longwell (Ballymena), M Galwey (Shannon), J Davidson (Castres), A Foley (Shannon), D Wallace (Garryowen), A Quinlan (Shannon), A Ward (Ballynahinch), J O'Connor (Galwegians).

World Cup Sevens Squad: A Kearney (Dungannon), J Cunningham (Belfast Harlequins), D Quinlan (Blackrock College), D Hegarty (Terenure College), A Dunne (Old Belvedere), M Mostyn (Newport), J Topping (Ballymena, capt), J Ferris (Blackrock College), C McPhillips (St Mary's College), A McCullen (Lansdowne). Coach: Denis McBride. Manager: Kurt McQuilkin.