Players must survive new trials

A rebirth of the once obligatory but gradually derided Final Trial was hardly what the players of Munster and Leinster especially had in mind for an end-of-season finale, nor indeed the Irish management, but, necessity being the mother of invention, two hybrid, home-based selections will oppose each other at Lansdowne Road this evening (kick-off 6.0).

Ostensibly, the two "trials" were designed to keep the players active in the six-week vacuum between the sudden end to the representative season and the Test against Australia in Perth on June 7th. However, with no other way to judge form in that time, it is not inconceivable that one or two of the 42 squad places for the three-Test tour might be determined by performances here and in Thomond Park in a fortnight.

Unfortunately, the game has been a little devalued by a host of withdrawals yesterday, including Ronan O'Gara, Anthony Foley and Victor Costello.

The alternative to the "pre-Summer Tour Ireland National trial match" - to give its full and rather grand title - would have been to keep the interpros alive. Alas, that championship is instead, sadly, defunct, although avoiding parochialism in the light of Munster's and Leinster's departures from the European Cup is entirely understandable.

"Obviously the provinces had a tough run in Europe and for that reason, rather than have a series of interpros, we thought we'd take a bit of the pressure off them," explained Irish coach Eddie O'Sullivan.

"It will be interesting to see how players perform, particularly guys who didn't get a run in Europe," added O'Sullivan, "so it's also a chance to see what kind of form they're in, and there will be some interesting match-ups."

Foremost amongst these, as is invariably the case when two representative Irish sides take to a field, will be the back row collision.

This has been given added import by the return from long-term injury of David Wallace alongside the burgeoning Aidan McCullen, though Costello (thigh) has been forced to withdraw and has been replaced by Colm McMahon in a reshuffled Whites' back row.

In further changes to the Whites team, Girvan Dempsey has been replaced by Bryn Cunningham. On the replacements bench, Niall Best replaces McMahon and Niall Breslin is brought in.

Opposing the Whites' back row will be Alan Quinlan, Keith Gleeson and Denis Leamy, the latter having been called in at number eight due to the withdrawal of Colours captain Foley with a neck strain and the continuing absence of Des Dillon.

Like Foley, John Hayes has been one of Ireland's five ever-presents in this 11-Test season, and so his withdrawal due to a groin strain may have further weakened the Colours' hand, who are now captained by Shane Byrne, with Simon Best coming in at tighthead.

Reggie Corrigan will be keen to re-establish himself, though the rivalry at half-back has been diminished by O'Gara (ankle) pulling out.

The withdrawal of David Quinlan (hamstring) does at least give the Colours midfield a more balanced look, with an ensuing call-up for Mike Mullins, who, it seems, has re-emerged from the black hole he occupied prior to performing well for the Irish A side which beat their English counterparts five weeks ago.

WHITES: B Cunningham (Ulster); G D'Arcy (Leinster), J Kelly (Munster), J Bell (Ulster), A Horgan (Munster); D Humphreys (Ulster, capt), P Stringer (Shannon/Munster); R Corrigan (Leinster), F Sheahan (Munster), E Byrne (Leinster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), M O'Kelly (Leinster), D Wallace (Munster), A McCullan (Leinster), C McMahon (Munster). Replacements: J Blaney (Munster), J Fitzpatrick (Ulster), M O'Driscoll (Munster), N Best (Ulster), B O'Riordan (Leinster), J Holland (Munster), T Robinson (Connacht).

COLOURS: J Staunton (Munster); S Horgan (Leinster), M Mullins (Leinster), R Henderson (Shannon), D Hickie (Leinster); M McHugh (Connacht), B O'Meara (Leinster); M Horan (Munster), S Byrne (Leinster, capt), S Best (Ulster), L Cullen (Leinster), P O'Connell (Munster), A Quinlan (Munster), D Leamy (Munster), K Gleeson (Leinster). Replacements: G Flannery (Connacht), M Cahill (Munster) D Browne (Connacht), AN Other, E Reddan (Connacht), B Cunningham (Ulster), M Lawlor (Munster).