Ireland gear-up for European campaign

IRELAND have arrived in Rome ahead of their European Nations Trophy campaign which begins on Sunday.

And they intend having another few sessions on the pitch after getting an eye-opener during two games against hosts Italy almost two weeks ago.

Some of the players were shocked at the state of the pitch but at this level you don’t always get the best facilities ... which makes it paramount Ireland get back among the elite by virtue of finishing either first or second in this series.

“It’s a different surface to what we are used to, but at the end of the day it will be the same for everybody,” said Ulsterman David Scott, coach Dave Passmore’s assistant.

“If it’s well watered it shouldn’t provide too many problems.”

The Irish will have a final practice game against Austria tomorrow evening before starting their programme against Belarus on Sunday.

Then they take on Wales on Monday and complete their pool programme against Russia on Wednesday.

Hosts Italy are joined by Austria, the Czech Republic and Switzerland in the other pool, and it’s the Friday and Saturday crossover and classification games which will ultimately decide if Ireland regain Division A status and land a place in the World Cup Qualifier in China.

Passmore’s lads want to top their pool to get the arguably easier crossover game but know that none of the pool games will be easy, and in the case of Belarus it’s very much a case of facing the unknown.

“We’ve had Russia watched, and also played Wales recently in the Celtic Cup, but it’s hard to find out anything about Belarus,” admits Scott.

Altogether there are eight Ulstermen in the 18-strong panel, with Instonians defender Patrick Brown wearing the captain’s armband.

All but four of the squad played in the last Europeans in Barcelona two years ago, with Annadale’s Iain Lewers, Lisnagarvey’s Brian Waring, Loughborough’s Mark Gleghorne and Cork Harlequins’ Mark Black the ‘new’ faces.

Ireland programme: Sunday v Belarus (1.30pm); Monday v Wales (6.45pm); Wednesday v Russia (1.30pm). Thursday: Crossover games; Friday: Classification games.