Promotions prompt second string shuffle

The Ireland A team to play France A in Belfast on Friday night shows three changes from the team which beat Italy A 10 days ago.

The Irish second string are unbeaten this season after a draw in Scotland and victory in Rogivo on February 21.

But coach Matt Williams will have a new prop for his front row at Ravenhill as a result of the injury to senior international Reggie Corrigan.

Marcus Horan has been promoted as Corrigan’s replacement in the senior Ireland side to face France at Lansdowne Road.

The vacancy he left on the replacements’ bench will be filled by Ulster’s Justin Fitzpatrick so Connacht’s Ronan McCormack comes into the A side.

Similarly, Ronan O’Gara’s recovery from an ankle injury means Harlequins’ fly-half Paul Burke drops back down to the A side with London Irish’s Barry Everitt demoted to the bench.

There is also a positional change with Jeremy Staunton to be tried at outside centre after Gordon D’Arcy played the first two A internationals of the season in the number 13 shirt.

D’Arcy takes over Staunton’s full-back role as the Irish management continue their search for a genuine understudy at outside centre for Brian O’Driscoll.

Ireland A team: G D’Arcy (Leinster/Lansdowne); J Topping (Ulster/Ballymena), J Staunton (Munster/Garrryowen), D Quinlan (Leinster/Blackrock College), T Robinson (Connacht/ Buccaneers); P Burke (Harlequins), N Doak (Ulster/Belfast Harlequins, capt); R McCormack (Connacht/Buccaneers), P Shields (Ulster/Ballymena); S Best (Ulster/Belfast Harlequins), D O’Callaghan (Munster/Cork Constitution), J Davidson (Ulster/Dungannon), S Easterby (Llanelli), Kieron Dawson (London Irish), E Miller (Leinster/Terenure College).

Replacements: J Blaney (Munster/Shannon), P Bracken (Connacht/Galwegians), M O’Driscoll (Munster/ Cork Constitution), A McCullen (Leinster/Lansdowne), B O’Meara (Leinster/ Cork Constitution), B Everitt (Munster/Shannon) M Lawlor (Munster/Shannon).