O'Connell in contention
Paul O'Connell could be considered for one of the four lock positions in Eddie O'Sullivan's team for Ireland's final Six Nations Grand Slam Championship match against England on Sunday, reports Johnny Watterson. O'Connell is not listed on the Irish A team, replacements, or the official injury list. Yesterday's selection suggests O'Sullivan may face a decision in the second row between O'Connell, Leo Cullen and Gary Longwell, who was injured against France but is expected to be fit for Sunday.
With six changes in total, four behind the scrum and two in the pack, the side has a different complexion to the one that faced France at Ravenhill Road on March 7th. Tyrone Howe on the wing, Gavin Duffy at centre with outhalf Barry Everitt and Brian O'Meara at scrumhalf are the changes in the backline with Emmet Byrne and UCD's Des Dillon coming into the back row.
IRELAND A (v England A, Donnybrook, Friday 7.0): G Darcy (Leinster and Lansdowne); J Topping (Ulster and Ballymena), G Duffy (Connacht and Galwegians), D Quinlan (Leinster and Blackrock College); T Howe (Ulster and Dungannon); B Everitt (London Irish), B O'Meara (Leinster and Cork Constitution), E Byrne (Leinster and St Mary's), P Shields (Ulster and Ballymena), S Best (Ulster and Belfast Harlequins), D O'Callaghan (Munster and Cork Constitution), J Davidson (Ulster and Dungannon, capt), S Easterby (Llanelli), K Dawson (London Irish), D Dillon (Leinster and UCD). Replacements: J Blaney (Munster and Shannon), P Bracken (Connacht and Galwegians), M O'Driscoll (Munster and Cork Constitution), A McCullen (Leinster and Lansdowne), M Prendergast (Munster and Young Munster), M McHugh (Connacht and St Mary's College), A Horgan (Munster and Cork Constitution).
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Captains in good cause
Brian O'Driscoll and Martin Johnson, captains of the opposing sides in Sunday's Grand Slam decider, have donated jerseys they've worn in this season's campaign for a fund-raiser in aid of Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin to be held on Saturday night, reports Gerry Thornley.
O'Driscoll's jersey from last Saturday's match in Cardiff and Johnson's jersey from England's 40-9 win over Scotland the same day will be auctioned at a fund-raising dinner in the Guinness Hop Store to be attended by 200 guests the night before Sunday's grand finale. The proceeds from this fund-raiser, which is being organised by Colm O'Daly, patron/chef of Roly's Bistro in Ballsbridge, will help raise money for a cystic fibrosis unit in the hospital. The target for the fund-raising campaign is €400,000.
All donations are welcome. Cheques can be made payable to "Building a Dream for Crumlin" and sent to Colm O'Daly, c/o Roly's Bistro, 7 Ballsbridge Terrace, Dublin 4, or to Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children Crumlin, Dublin 12.
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France unchanged
France coach Bernard Laporte named the same side that won a free-flowing game 53-27 in Rome last Sunday. It was only the third time in 35 matches that Laporte has named an unchanged team.
FRANCE (v Wales, Stade de France, Saturday): C Poitrenaud (Stade Toulousain); A Rougerie (Montferrand), T Castaignede (Saracens), D Traille (Pau), X Garbajosa (Stade Toulousain); F Michalak (Stade Toulousain), D Yachvili (Biarritz); JJ Crenca (Agen), R Ibanez (Castre), S Marconnet (Stade Français), F Pelous (capt, Stade Toulousain), O Brouzet (Montferrand), S Betsen (Biarritz), O Magne (Montferrand), I Harinordoquy (Pau). Replacements: J Baptiste Rue (Agen), O Milloud (Bourgoin), D Auradou (Stade Français), P Tabacco (Stade Français), J-Baptiste Elissalde (Stade Toulousain), G Merceron (Montferrand), V Clerc (Stade Toulousain).
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England adjust
Gloucester star James Simpson-Daniel has been ruled out of Friday night's A match against Ireland after suffering a shoulder injury during last week's A team victory over Scotland. With his Gloucester colleague and A midfield partner Henry Paul at the Hong Kong Sevens this week, Fraser Waters and Ben Johnston forge the centre combination.
ENGLAND A: D Scarbrough (Leeds); P Christophers (Bristol Shoguns), F Waters (Wasps), B Johnston (Saracens), M Cueto (Sale Sharks); A King (Wasps), A Gomarsall (Gloucester); M Worsley (London Irish), M Regan (Leeds), R Morris (Northampton), S Shaw (Wasps), C Jones (Sale Sharks), M Corry (Leicester, capt), A Vander (Bath), J Forrester (Gloucester). Replacements: A Titterrell (Sale Sharks), M Fitzgerald (Biarritz), T Palmer (Leeds), H Vyvyan (Newcastle), N Walshe (Sale Sharks), O Barkley (Bath), M Stephenson (Newcastle).
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Humphreys bows out
Wales captain Jonathan Humphreys has been forced out Saturday's wooden spoon match against France in Paris. The 34-year-old has failed to recover form a shoulder injury and was now expected to end his international rugby career.
