Lions’ share of Irish squad return

IRISH Coach Eddie O’Sullivan yesterday named a 35 strong squad for a three-day September training camp in preparation for the November Internationals.

O'Sullivan welcomes back the majority of the British and Irish Lions players as they start to return to club action following their extended preseason training. The only exceptions to this are the injured trio of Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy and Malcolm O'Kelly. Other notable absentees due to injury are Eric Miller and Anthony Horgan, both of whom played against Japan in the summer.

There are two uncapped players in the squad in the shape of Paddy Wallace, who missed out on touring Japan and a possible first cap due to injury, and Conor McPhilips.

Number eight Anthony Foley, prop John Hayes and Saracens hooker Shane Byrne are all included in the squad to prepare for the games against New Zealand, Australia and Romania.

There is also a call-up for Leo Cullen, who is now parading his skills in England with Leicester Tigers.

Irish captain O'Driscoll at the weekend fuelled rumours of a move to France when his current IRFU contract is completed at the end of the season.

O'Driscoll, on holidays in the Biarritz area, appeared in public at the Biarritz/Stade Français French Championship game at the weekend, apparently at the invitation of club president Marcel Martin.

He was also interviewed on French television channel Canal+ at half-time and did not rule out the possibility of a move to France in the future.

Meanwhile, Munster winger Anthony Horgan will undergo a scan today to assess a knee injury sustained in a collision with Glasgow prop Euan Murray in the Celtic League on Saturday.

Murray was taken from the pitch with severe concussion while Horgan was forced to withdraw later in the game.

"It was quite swollen after the game, and we're just hoping that it was no more than a reaction to an impact. Anthony was having the injury assessed today and is likely to have a scan within the next day or two," a Munster spokesperson said yesterday.

Munster take on Llanelli at Musgrave Park on Friday night a match switched from Limerick after the appalling vandalism of last weekend but there could be a bonus in that.

Munster's two home games to date have attracted a cumulative attendance of 10,200 people, but the recent Cork clash with Ospreys provided 6,700 of those.

Irish squad Forwards (18): S Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), S Byrne (Saracens), R Corrigan (Greystones/Leinster), L Cullen (Leicester), S Easterby (Llanelli), A Foley (Shannon/Munster), J Hayes (Bruff/Munster), M Horan (Shannon/Munster), B Jackman (Clontarf/Leinster), D Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster), M McCullough (Ballymena/Ulster), D O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster), P O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster), J O'Connor (Wasps), A Quinlan (Shannon/Munster), F Sheahan (Cork Constitution/Munster), D Wallace (Garryowen/Munster), R Wilson (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster).

Backs (17): T Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), K Campbell (Dungannon/Ulster), G Dempsey (Terenure College/Leinster), G Duffy (Harlequins), G Easterby (Blackrock College/Leinster), D Hickie (St. Mary's College/Leinster), S Horgan (Lansdowne/Leinster), D Humphreys (Dungannon/Ulster), J Kelly (Cork Constitution/Munster), K Lewis (St.Mary's College/Leinster), K Maggs (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), C McPhilips (St.Mary's College/Connacht), G Murphy (Leicester), R O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster), D Quinlan (Northampton), P Stringer (Shannon/Munster), P Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster).

Not considered due to injury: G D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster), A Horgan (Cork Constitution/Munster), E Miller (Terenure College/Leinster), B O'Driscoll (Blackrock College/Leinster), M O'Kelly (St.Mary's College/Leinster).