O'Sullivan: I've got options

Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan says there will be a host of World Cup spots up for grabs when his much-changed team take on Italy in Limerick tomorrow.

O’Sullivan has retained just 12 players from the side that comfortably beat Wales in the first of three warm-up internationals a fortnight ago and insists there is everything to play for at Thomond Park.

He said: “A lot of people feel I’m down to the last two or three which is far from the truth.

“We have phenomenal competition for our second row and back row and there is a lot of competition in the outside backs.

“To be fair to the players, I’ve kept an open mind because I don’t see the point in making these decisions until I’ve gathered as much information as I can, particularly when the decisions in some positions are going to be minuscule between a guy going and not going.

“I haven’t really laid down that many spots, apart from the certainties like the O’Driscolls and the Woods.

“Tomorrow’s game is very important for a lot of guys because they haven’t played against Wales and they may not play against Scotland so this could be their only chance.”

With Keith Wood rested, Lions centre Brian O’Driscoll will captain Ireland for the ninth time tomorrow, winning his 40th cap in the process.

O’Sullivan will have a final opportunity to run the rule over fringe candidates in Edinburgh next Saturday before naming his 30-strong World Cup squad the following day.

An indication of Ireland’s strength in depth these days is revealed with a glance at the experience on show tomorrow, with the 15 starting players able to boast no fewer than 399 caps between them.

“Because of injuries in the last 21 months of my tenure, we’ve built up a fair bit of experience in the squad,” said O’Sullivan.

“I’ve always said injuries are a dreadful nuisance and nobody wants them but I suppose you can use them to your advantage by giving other players opportunities.

“Over the last 21 months we’ve had a lot of guys come into the squad and I think that shows when you count up the number of caps of the players involved tomorrow.”

Italy coach John Kirwan has also rung the changes following his side’s 47-15 defeat by the Scots last Saturday but includes only one new cap in Parma winger Diego Sacca.

He was forced to make a late change, however, with Cristian Stoica taking over in the centre while scrum-half Juan Manuel Queirolo was ruled out because of a thigh problem.

The Irish have racked up 170 points in their four Six Nations matches against the Azzurri and ought to maintain that average tomorrow, although O’Sullivan is warning his player to prepare for a traditional physical confrontation up front.

“John Kirwan has gone with a very strong pack, they’ve all played six nations,” he said.

“He’s experimenting a bit with the backs but I think the pack will put up a stiff test for us tomorrow and, if we don’t overcome that, it won’t matter behind the scrum.

“It’s a chance for players to set out their stall for the World Cup but we also want to win our Test games. We would never want to get away from that.

“And the fact that we’ve made so many changes means there’s extra pressure to get things right as a team.”