Horan and Best to face Saxons

Marcus Horan and Rory Best are included in an all-Test front row for Ireland A’s clash with England Saxons in Bath on Sunday.

The duo feature alongside prop Tony Buckley as they attempt to gain match fitness ahead of the RBS 6 Nations opener against Italy on Saturday week.

Horan, the Munster loosehead, is back after recovering from the minor heart condition suffered in mid-October that forced him to miss the autumn series.

Best has returned to the international fold having completed his rehabilitation from neck surgery.

The Ulster hooker’s provincial team-mate Paddy Wallace starts at fly-half, though he will also be involved against Italy if he wins his battle with Gordon D’Arcy for the number 12 jersey.

Munster veteran Peter Stringer is given the nod at scrum-half while Mick O’Driscoll leads the side.

Ireland A will be rebranded the ’Wolfhounds’ from next Friday’s clash with Scotland A in Ravenhill.

Team: G Duffy (Connacht); F Carr (Connacht), F McFadden (Leinster), K Matthews (Connacht), I Dowling (Munster); P Wallace (Ulster), P Stringer (Munster); M Horan (Munster), R Best (Ulster), T Buckley (Munster), M O’Driscoll (Munster, captain), D Toner (Leinster), S Jennings (Leinster), S O’Brien (Leinster), J Muldoon (Connacht).

Replacements: J Fogarty (Leinster), M Ross (Leinster), R Caldwell (Ulster), N Ronan (Munster), I Boss (Ulster), I Humphries (Ulster) D Cave (Ulster).