O’Connell back in Ireland frame
O’Connell has been absent this season after undergoing back surgery during the summer and then breaking his thumb soon after his return to Munster colours.
But the second row has completed his recovery and was named yesterday in a 35-man squad for a two day training camp in Dublin tomorrow and Thursday.
Irish coach Eddie O’Sullivan also has Gary Longwell at his disposal despite the Ulster lock going off in the first half of Saturday’s victory over France with a hamstring injury, while fullback Girvan Dempsey is again named despite a groin problem.
Meanwhile, Leicester coach Dean Richards admitted yesterday that Geordan Murphy’s sparkling form is threatening to leave the former England workhorse with mixed emotions on March 30.
“It’s a double-edged sword because we have plenty of English players and then we have Geordan as well. He has been inspirational for us over the last few seasons, helped us win the Heineken Cup last season and I wouldn’t like him to finish on a losing side.
“Having said that, I suppose we have to think of England as well.
“As a former player, of course I want to see England win the title and hopefully the Grand Slam.”
But Richards also noted that it would be a difficult task. “Assuming England and Ireland win their remaining games then the conclusion would be perfect. You can’t write a better script than to have two teams going into a game with the winner take all scenario.
“England will be favourites but I’d never bet heavily against Ireland in Dublin. As a player I have gone there before and been disappointed. As a coach I would be very wary.
“I think England are a bit more streetwise these days than to expect things to happen, but I also believe Ireland are more streetwise as well. It might not be a classic but it could be a thriller.”
Richards felt unable to comment on the current injury crisis within the English camp, but of Ireland, he added: “Ireland certainly appear to have very high quality players to come in for all the key positions. Marcus Horan had a great game against France. It all comes down to experience in the Heineken Cup, I suppose.”
Ireland’s players had a rest day yesterday before joining up again later this week. The injury problems were restricted to David Humphreys (arm) and Gary Longwell (rib and hamstring), both of whom are believed to be confident of their fitness in advance of the encounter with Wales in Cardiff.
Leinster are confident of selling more than 40,000 tickets for their Heineken Cup quarter-final against Biarritz on April 12.
Leinster chief executive Mick Dawson yesterday announced that the north terrace of Lansdowne Road was to be opened to the public.
Leinster decided to move the game from their spiritual home of Donnybrook but did so with some uncertainty of swelling the normal 7,500 crowd to decent proportions.
The reaction has, however, been immense and Biarritz will be seriously outnumbered. The French have only requested 1,800 tickets.
The previous best attendance for a quarter-final was between Toulouse and Montferrand (37,000).
Anthony Horgan played in the Munster Senior Cup for Cork Constitution at the weekend and came through without difficulty.
The Ireland squad of 35 to attend a two-day assembly tomorrow and Thursday is:
Props: Simon Best (Ulster/Belfast Harlequins), Emmet Byrne (Leinster/St Mary’s College) Justin Fitzpatrick (Ulster/Dungannon), John Hayes (Munster/Shannon), Marcus Horan (Munster/Shannon).
Hookers: Shane Byrne (Leinster/Blackrock College), Frank Sheahan (Munster/Cork Constitution).
Locks: Leo Cullen (Leinster/Blackrock College), Gary Longwell (Ulster/Ballymena). Donnacha O’Callaghan (Munster/Cork Constitution), Paul O’Connell (Munster/Young Munster), Malcolm O’Kelly (Leinster/St Mary’s College).
Back row: Victor Costello, (Leinster/St Mary’s College), Simon Easterby (Llanelli),
Anthony Foley (Munster/Shannon), Keith Gleeson (Leinster/St Mary’s College), Eric Miller (Leinster/Terenure College), Alan Quinlan (Munster/Shannon).
Scrumhalf: Guy Easterby (Llanelli), Peter Stringer (Munster/Shannon).
Outhalf: Paul Burke (Harlequins), David Humphreys (Ulster/Dungannon), Ronan O’Gara (Munster/Cork Constitution).
Centres: Rob Henderson (Munster/Young Munster), Kevin Maggs (Bath), Brian O’Driscoll (Leinster/Blackrock College), Jeremy Staunton (Munster/Garryowen).
Wings: Gordon D’Arcy (Leinster/Lansdowne), Justin Bishop (London Irish), Denis Hickie (Leinster/St Mary’s College), Shane Horgan (Leinster/Lansdowne), Tyrone Howe (Ulster/Dungannon), John Kelly (Munster/Cork Constitution).
Fullback: Girvan Dempsey (Leinster/Terenure College), Geordan Murphy (Leicester).
* A squad of 22 from which the team to play Wales in the RBS Six Nations Championship at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on Saturday, March 22 will be announced next Friday.
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