Three hookers for Ireland squad v Wales
Ireland coach Eddie O’ Sullivan has named a 24-man squad from which the team and replacements to play Wales in the opening game of the Six Nations Championship will be selected.
With concerns over Malcolm O’Kelly’s knee injury as well as slight calf strains for both Frankie Sheehan and Rory Best there are three hookers included in the squad as well as four second rows.
O’Sullivan said: “Malcolm’s knee injury is still a concern for us and we have allowed some more time for it to respond further to treatment. Both Rory and Frankie are carrying slight calf strains, so we have named three hookers to give us some back-up in that area.”
The Ireland squad from which the team and replacements to play Wales in the Six Nations Championship in the Millennium stadium, Cardiff, on Sunday, February 4, at 3pm is as follows:
Forwards (14)
Neil Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Rory Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Simon Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Simon Easterby (Llanelli)
Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster)
John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)
Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster)
Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
Mick O’Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Malcolm O’Kelly (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)
Frankie Sheahan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
Backs (10):
Isaac Boss (Ballymena/Ulster)
Girvan Dempsey (Terenure College/Leinster)
Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Denis Hickie (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)
Geordan Murphy (Leicester)
Brian O’Driscoll (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster).
