O'Sullivan announces Ireland training squad

Ireland rugby coach Eddie O'Sullivan and his selectors have named the squad for a two-day training session later this week.

Props: Simon Best (Ulster/Belfast Harlequins), Emmet Byrne (Leinster/St Mary’s College) Justin Fitzpatrick (Ulster/Dungannon), John Hayes (Munster/Shannon), Marcus Horan (Munster/Shannon).

Hookers: Shane Byrne (Leinster/Blackrock College), Frank Sheahan (Munster/Cork

Constitution).

Locks: Leo Cullen (Leinster/Blackrock College), Gary Longwell (Ulster/Ballymena). Donnacha O’Callaghan (Munster/Cork Constitution), Paul O’Connell (Munster/Young Munster), Malcolm O’Kelly (Leinster/St. Mary’s College).

Back row: Victor Costello, (Leinster/St. Mary’s College), Simon Easterby (Llanelli), Anthony Foley (Munster/Shannon), Keith Gleeson (Leinster/St. Mary’s College), Eric Miller (Leinster/Terenure College), Alan Quinlan (Munster/Shannon).

Scrumhalf: Guy Easterby (Llanelli), Peter Stringer (Munster/Shannon).

No 10: Paul Burke (Harlequins), David Humphreys (Ulster/Dungannon), Ronan O’Gara (Munster/Cork Constitution).

Centres: Rob Henderson (Munster/Young Munster), Kevin Maggs (Bath), Brian O’Driscoll (Leinster/Blackrock College), Jeremy Staunton (Munster/Garryowen).

Wings: Gordon D’ Arcy (Leinster/Lansdowne), Justin Bishop (London Irish), Denis Hickie (Leinster/St. Mary’s College), Shane Horgan (Leinster/Lansdowne), Tyrone Howe (Ulster/Dungannon), John Kelly (Munster/Cork Constitution).

Fullback: Girvan Dempsey (Leinster/Terenure College), Geordan Murphy (Leicester).

Not considered due to injury: Jonathan Bell (Ulster/Dungannon) {Shoulder}, Reggie Corrigan (Leinster/Greystones) {Wrist}, David Wallace (Munster/Garryowen) {Shoulder}, Paul Wallace (Lenister/Blackrock College) {Shoulder}, Keith Wood (Harlequins) {Shoulder}.

A squad of 22 from which the team to play Wales in Cardiff on Saturday, March 22 will

be announced on Friday. The team will be announced tomorrow week.