Lack of match practice costs Staunton Irish place

LACK of game time at Wasps has cost Jeremy Staunton a place on the Irish squad for the two-match Test series in Argentina.

Staunton has been back in training having recovered from a broken hand, but he lost out on a place on the Wasps squad for this weekend’s Heineken Cup final. And his misery was compounded yesterday when Irish coach Eddie O’Sullivan, who originally pencilled him for Argentina, transferred him to the Churchill Cup squad for next week’s tournament in England.

O’Sullivan called up Luke Fitzgerald to make up the 30 travelling to Argentina and raised a few eyebrows by nominating a non-specialist back-up for the number 10 jersey.