Ireland leave out Johns
Paddy Johns has been left out of the Irish training squad which will meet next week ahead of the Six Nations opener against Italy in Rome on February 3.
Former skipper Johns, 32, was a replacement in Ireland's last match against South Africa at Lansdowne Road in November.
Wing Denis Hickie (St Mary's College) and flankers Eric Miller (Terenure College) and Kieron Dawson (London Irish), who played against South Africa, are out injured.
Hickie damaged a hand playing for Leinster against Edinburgh Reivers in Friday's Heineken Cup match at Donnybrook, and will miss Ireland's first trip to the Italian capital for a Six Nations game.
Meanwhile, former Ireland flanker Denis McBride has been named as coach of the Ireland squad for the World Cup Sevens to be played at Mar del Plata, Argentina, from January 26-28.
Squad: Backs - R O'Gara (Cork Constitution), D Humphreys (Dungannon), P Stringer (Shannon), B O'Meara (Cork Constitution), R Henderson (London Wasps), K Maggs (Bath), M Mullins (Young Munster), B O'Driscoll (Blackrock College), S Horgan (Lansdowne), A Horgan (Cork Constitution), T Howe (Dungannon), G Murphy (Leicester), G Dempsey (Terenure College), D Crotty (Garryowen).
Forwards - P Clohessy (Young Munster), J Fitzpatrick (Dungannon), J Hayes (Shannon), P Wallace (Saracens), E Byrne (Blackrock College), K Wood (Harlequins), F Sheehan (Cork Constitution), M O'Kelly (St Mary's College), G Longwell (Ballymena), M Galwey (Shannon), J Davidson (Castres), A Foley (Shannon), D Wallace (Garryowen), A Quinlan (Shannon), A Ward (Ballynahinch), J O'Connor (Galwegians).
World Cup sevens squad: A Kearney (Blackrock College), J Cunningham (Belfast Harlequins), D Quinlan (Blackrock College), D Hegarty (Terenure College), A Dunne (Old Belvedere), M Mostyn (Newport), J Topping (Ballymena, capt), J Ferris (Blackrock College), C McPhillips (St Mary's College), A McCullen (Lansdowne). Coach: Denis McBride. Manager: Kurt McQuilkin.
