O'Sullivan: Difficult call to drop Dempsey and O'Connor
Eddie O’Sullivan has admitted the decision to drop Girvan Dempsey and Johnny O’Connor from the team to face Italy on Sunday was not an easy one.
Both acquitted themselves well during the November clean sweep, but have been left out for Sunday's clash.
“Girvan has been a stalwart at full-back so it was hard to leave him out. He played in the autumn but with Gordon D’Arcy coming back we needed to shuffle things about. It was a tough call,” he said.
“This is the first occasion for some time that we’ve been able to select from a full deck. This is the strongest backline I’ve fielded.
“The back row is always going to tough. Johnny loses out – he acquitted himself very well against South Africa and Argentina but Denis has been chomping at the bit and has had a very big Heineken Cup.”
Prop Reggie Corrigan will undergo a late fitness test after sustaining a knee injury with Marcus Horan on standby to take his place and Simon Best earmarked for the vacancy on the bench.
Second row Malcolm O’Kelly will make his 69th international appearance on Sunday, equalling the record set by Mike Gibson as Ireland’s most capped player.
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