ALAIN ROLLAND has been chosen ahead of Ireland captrain Niall Hogan at scrumhalf on the Leinster side to meet the Irish XV at Donnybrook on Sunday. Hogan has been named in the panel of replacements.
Rolland was Leinster's first choice last season and a few weeks ago was named on the Leinster team to meet Sale with Hogan chosen on the A team. The selection of Rolland for the match next Sunday is a clear indication that, as of now, Rolland, who has served Leinster well, is still rated as first choice.
Leinster had first call on their players in the Ireland squad just as Munster had for their match against the Irish side last Sunday, but unlike Munster, the Leinster selectors decided that they would only call on players for the match on Sunday who will be available for the interprovinial championship, as Hogan will be.
The Leinster players with English league clubs were not considered, even though they will be available to the province for the European Cup. Leinster did release loose head prop Paul Flavin, who is a home-based player and who has been selected for the Irish side.
Other very interesting decisions by the Leinster selectors are the preference for Mark McDermott as hooker over Ireland squad player Shane Byrne, and Denis Hickie on the wing in place of Paddy Gavin, who has been a regular on the Leinster side for the past three years. Like Hogan, Byrne is named in the replacement panel.
There is also no place for Vincent Cunningham, for so long a regular in the Leinster side. Martin Ridge and Kurt McQuilkin form the centre combination.
Even with Malcolm O'Kelly ruled out - he plays for the Irish XV as he is not available to Leinster for the interprovincial series - there is no place in the team or on the bench for second row Neil Francis. The second-row pairing will be Steve Jameson and Greg Duffy. The team shows just two changes from the side that defeated the Italian Zebras last Friday in Genoa. Henry Hurley comes in at loose head prop for Flavin and Angus McKeen at tight head prop for Peter Bruce.
Full-back Ciaran Clarke and out-half Alan McGowan were not considered. Both have been injured recently. They are both due to play for their clubs, Terenure College and Blackrock College respectively, in Leinster Senior League matches.
Some of those league ties are scheduled for Sunday, but Terenure would like their game against Old Wesley moved to Saturday. With the Leinster v Irish XV match on Sunday at 6 p.m. in Donnybrook and the All-Ireland football final on Sunday afternoon, it would surely he in everyone's best interests if all the league tics were played on Saturday.
One league match that will not be played at all is the Bective Rangers-Dublin University game. It is likely that the university will withdraw from the league. The early start to that competition has presented Trinity with problems in fielding a team. Bective, meanwhile, are looking for a fixture next weekend if any club can accommodate them.
Wanderers take on DLSP in the league and Brian O'Rourke has been named at scrum-half in place of Malcolm Mahon. Mahon, unfortunately, broke a leg last weekend. David Murphy, son of former Ireland coach, Gerry, has been chosen at full-back. Murphy played last week when called in after Jonathan Garth withdrew and now retains his place.
Clarke has been chosen on the Terenure team to meet Old Wesley, with Peter Walsh on the wing, while Greystones, who meet Monkstown, have chosen three players who did not play last week, as they operate a rota system. They are Jeff Gardiner in the centre, Stuart Hannon at scrum-half, and John O'Beirne on the flank.
All but three of the St Munchin's XV to meet Munster at Thomond Park on Saturday are former pupils of St Munchin's College. The exceptions are international scrum half David O'Mahony, A international hooker Paul Cunningham and interprovincial second row Mick Coughlan.
