Ryan replaces Best for Ireland A clash with Scotland

THERE is just one change on the Irish A team to meet Scotland from the team originally named to meet England Saxons in last week’s postponed tie.

Ireland A take on the Scots in a match switched from Donnybrook to the RDS on Friday night (7.30pm), with Neil Best making the strange decision to make himself unavailable in order to play club rugby in England.

Best was named for last week’s game and it would have been his first match in several weeks, having just returned from a long period of suspension.

Now, having decided to line out with Northampton this weekend, his place in the team is taken by Donnacha Ryan, who moves from the reserves to take his place at number six.

Ryan is replaced in the squad by Ed O’Donoghue of Instonians and Ulster.

Ireland’s head coach Declan Kidney would only say that the change was made necessary, after Best decided it would be fairer to play with Northampton given the amount of time he has been out of action due to his suspension.

IRELAND A: G. Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht), A. Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster), D. Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), K. Matthews (Buccaneers/Connacht), M. McCrea (Malone/Ulster), J. Sexton (St. Marys/Leinster), E. Reddan (London Wasps), C. Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), S. Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht), M. Ross (Harlequins), B. Casey (London Irish, captain), R. Caldwell (Dungannon/Ulster), D. Ryan (Shannon/Munster), J. Muldoon (Galwegians/Connacht), S. Jennings (St. Mary’s/ Leinster).

Replacements: J. Fogarty (Leinster), J. Andress (Exeter), E. O’Donoghue (Instonians/Ulster), s. O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster), I. Boss (Ballymena/Ulster), I. Humphreys (Ballymena/Ulster), B. Murphy (UL Bohs/Munster).