Longwell called up for England clash

GARY LONGWELL has been called into the Irish squad for the Six Nations game against England at Twickenham tomorrow week.

He replaces the injured Donnacha O'Callaghan. Longwell's inclusion is the only alteration from the 22 man squad which defeated Wales last weekend.

Coach Eddie O'Sullivan will announce his line up at lunchtime on Tuesday with Malcolm O'Kelly most likely to be named in the second-row for O'Callaghan.

O'Kelly came in for O'Callaghan after 20 minutes against the Welsh to claim his 60th cap and will now see this as a golden opportunity to regain O'Sullivan's confidence after a disappointing Heineken Cup campaign with Leinster followed by a quiet game against France in Paris.

There is little doubt that Kevin Maggs still has strong claims on his place at first centre but the Brian O'Driscoll-Gordon D'Arcy axis worked so well against Wales that they are sure to start against the world champions. Meanwhile Simon Best remains in the squad due to the continued absence of Marcus Horan.

Indeed, there could be a keen battle for places on that occasion given Geordan Murphy's return to action for Leicester last week while David Wallace is expected to be fit to play for Munster next week.

World Cup centre Mike Tindall is being fast-tracked for a return to England duty. The Bath star has been named by England head coach Clive Woodward in a 26-man training squad, ahead of the clash with Ireland.

Tindall has not played since rupturing an ankle tendon during a Zurich Premiership game after Christmas, and he sat out of England's opening two matches in Rome and Edinburgh.

Woodward has recalled three other injury-hit players Wasps centre Stuart Abbott, his club colleague Joe Worsley and Gloucester wing James Simpson-Daniel.

Abbott is due to make his comeback from an ankle injury in Wasps' cup game against Pertemps Bees on Sunday, while Worsley is regaining full fitness following a hamstring strain.

The Wasps flanker was ruled out of Calcutta Cup duty last weekend, Sale Sharks forward Chris Jones replaced him in the starting XV, but he should feature among Woodward's 22 to face Ireland, especially as Alex Sanderson is now in the England A squad.

Simpson-Daniel, meanwhile, has been troubled by a persistent rib problem and his club Gloucester do not have a game this weekend.

The England players will assemble at their Surrey training base on Monday. Woodward is set to announce his line-up for the Ireland clash later that day.

IRELAND (panel v England)

Forwards: S Best, S Byrne, R Corrigan, V Costello, S Easterby, A Foley, K Gleeson, J Hayes, G Longwell, P O'Connell, M O'Kelly, F Sheahan.

Backs: G D'Arcy, G Dempsey, G Easterby, S Horgan, T Howe, D Humphreys, K Maggs, B O'Driscoll, R O'Gara, P Stringer.

ENGLAND (training squad v Ireland)

Backs: I Balshaw, J Lewsey, B Cohen, J Robinson, J Simpson-Daniel, W Greenwood, M Tindall, S Abbott, H Paul, P Grayson, O Barkley, A Gomarsall, M Dawson

Forwards: T Woodman, J Leonard, P Vickery, M Stevens, S Thompson, M Regan, D Grewcock, B Kay, S Shaw, C Jones, R Hill, J Worsley, L Dallaglio.