Ireland squad of 25 announced

Shane Horgan is out due to injury and won't be available to play Wales in the RBS 6 Nations Championship in the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on Saturday, March 22.

The Ireland Squad of 25 from which the team to play Wales in the RBS 6 Nations Championship in the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on Saturday, March 22 that will be announced next Tuesday, is:

Forwards: Shane Byrne (Leinster/Blackrock College), Victor Costello, (Leinster/St. Mary’s College), Leo Cullen (Leinster/Blackrock College), Justin Fitzpatrick (Ulster/Dungannon), Anthony Foley (Munster/Shannon) Vice Captain, Keith Gleeson (Leinster/St. Mary’s College), John Hayes

(Munster/Shannon), Marcus Horan (Munster/Shannon), Gary Longwell (Ulster/Ballymena), Malcolm O’Kelly (Leinster/St. Mary’s College), Alan Quinlan (Munster/Shannon), Frank Sheahan (Munster/Cork Constitution), A.N. Other.

Backs: Justin Bishop (London Irish), Girvan Dempsey (Leinster/Terenure College), Guy Easterby (Llanelli), Rob Henderson (Munster/Young Munster), Denis Hickie (Leinster/St. Mary’s College), David Humphreys (Ulster/Dungannon) Vice Captain, John Kelly (Munster/Cork Constitution), Kevin Maggs (Bath), Geordan Murphy (Leicester), Ronan O’Gara (Munster/Cork Constitution), Brian O’Driscoll (Leinster/Blackrock College) Captain, Peter Stringer (Munster/Shannon).

Not considered due to injury: Jonathan Bell (Ulster/Dungannon) {Shoulder}, Reggie Corrigan (Leinster/Lansdowne) {Arm}, Shane Horgan (Leinster/Lansdowne) {Thigh}, David Wallace (Munster/Garryowen) {Shoulder}, Paul Wallace (Leinster/Blackrock College) {Shoulder}, Keith Wood

(Harlequins) {Shoulder}.

The Irish management have made the following players available for their clubs this weekend: Emmet Byrne (Leinster/St. Mary’s College), Leo Cullen (Leinster/Blackrock College), Guy Easterby (Llanelli), Justin Fitzpatrick (Ulster/Dungannon), Rob Henderson (Munster/Young Munster), Paul O’Connell (Munster/Young Munster), Ronan O’Gara (Munster/Cork Constitution), Alan Quinlan (Munster/Shannon) and Frank Sheahan (Munster/Cork Constitution).

The team to play Wales will be announced on Tuesday, March 18.