Fringe players get chance to impress

IRISH coach Eddie O’Sullivan is as good as his word — he is leaving no stone unturned in a bid to find his best World Cup squad.

O’Sullivan’s decision to name an experimental team for the warm-up game against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday may raise a few eyebrows, but he’s not concerned that just two of his troops — captain Brian O’Driscoll and Paul O’Connell — could be deemed first-choice players for the big matches ahead in France 2007.

The selection keeps the door ajar for players such as Brian Carney, Gavin Duffy, Tommy Bowe, Stephen Ferris and Jamie Heaslip as the battle intensifies for prized places in the 30-strong squad.