Youth gets its Japanese fling

Charlie Mulqueen

With 11 internationals in New Zealand with the Lions, along with Eddie O’Sullivan, there are nine uncapped players in the travelling party, with Niall O’Donovan as coach and Humphreys as captain. Joey Miles from Ulster is tour manager while Michael Bradley of Connacht and Mark McCall travel as assistant coaches. Surprisingly, there is no place in the squad for number eight Anthony Foley but management insist that does not signal the end of the Shannon man’s international career.

Explained O’Donovan last night: “With such a high representation with the Lions, the squad for Japan gives us a chance to look at players in certain areas. These include the back-row and second-row, where there is a glut of talent coming through, allowing us to look at options as cover for players such as Anthony Foley and also at scrum-half.”

Not alone will the summer break help Foley to recharge the batteries after a long, demanding campaign but it will also enable him enjoy the impending arrival of the family’s first child.

O’Donovan explained the inclusion of veterans like Humphreys, Corrigan and Maggs as a means of getting the balance right.

“That is the key with two tough full international game against Japan. Apart from nine uncapped players, there are also six with less than ten caps and so there was need for experience in key areas of the pack and in the backs,” said O’Donovan.

Peter Stringer travels as first-choice scrum-half but Ulster’s Kieran Campbell, who impressed for much of the season, will use the tour to press his claims for promotion to next best ahead of Guy Easterby, who stays at home.

Shannon and Munster second-row Trevor Hogan is one of several newcomers to the Irish squad, along with Leinster’s Kieran Lewis, Conor McPhillips from Connacht and a number of Ulster men led by number eight Roger Wilson, Campbell and Paddy Wallace.

Munster back-row men David Wallace and Denis Leamy have got the call but, very surprisingly, their team-mate Alan Quinlan is only named as one of nine players on standby while John Kelly wasn’t considered because of injury.

Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll agreed with the selection philosophy, commenting: “You can’t hide the fact that we need to bring new talent through and blood new guys who that are going to be playing international rugby for the next five or six years, so I’m sure there’s an element of that in the non-selection of Anthony. He’s played a lot of rugby and if we are to get another season or two out of him at international level there’s no harm in him having a break.”

O’Driscoll said he was hugely excited about Denis Leamy’s potential: “He was unfortunate this year. If he had a big game against Italy, anything could have happened. He is going to be fantastic he’ll be an integral part of the Ireland ream for years to come.”

The Ireland squad departs on June 4 from their camp in Limerick and will play the first of their two tests in the 55,000 capacity Nagai Stadium, Osaka on Sunday, June 12 (kick off 2pm local time).

The second test will take place in Tokyo the following Sunday, June 19 (kick off 2pm local time) in the Prince Chichibu Memorial Ground.