Six Nations: Four changes for Ireland 'A' squad
Declan Kidney has announced four changes for the Ireland 'A' match against Wales 'A' on March 2.
Liam Toland, Eric Miller, Ross Nesdale and Shane Horgan will replace Trevor Brennan, Johnny O'Connor, Peter Smyth and Jonathan Bell.
Open-side flanker Johnny O’Connor (Galwegians), who played against both Italy A and France A, has a broken arm and has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
Flankers Eric Miller (Terenure College) and Liam Toland (Lansdowne) take over from the injured O’Connor and Trevor Brennan (St Mary’s College), who has been omitted.
Miller broke a thumb in Leinster’s friendly with Munster six weeks ago and has been side-lined ever since.
Also making a come-back is former international hooker Ross Nesdale (Newcastle), who comes into the squad at the expense of Peter Smyth (St Mary’s College).
New Zealand-born Nesdale has won 11 caps, five of them as a replacement, between 1997 and 1999.
Another change in the Irish A team squad sees the return of centre Shane Horgan (Lansdowne), who played on the right wing against Italy in Ireland’s Six Nations opener, scoring one of their five tries.
Horgan replaced the injured Denis Hickie that day, but with the latter’s return against France last week he was relegated to the A team, only to be called back into the senior squad as cover following an injury scare over left-wing Tyrone Howe.
Horgan’s return to Ireland A means that the Dungannon and former Ireland centre Jonathan Bell has been omitted.
The team were routed 23-55 by France 'A' last Friday.
