Miller on Ireland A and preliminary Lions squads
Eric Miller yesterday received a double bonus when he was selected on the Ireland A squad to meet Wales A next week, a couple of hours before being named on the preliminary Lions squad of 67 players to tour Australia this summer.
Miller has dreamt of playing Test rugby for the Lions since his spectacular contribution to the touring team in South Africa back in 1997 when, unfortunately, his Test experience was limited because of injury.
The Terenure, Leinster and Ireland player has been unfortunate in that area almost throughout his career and recently was ruled out after breaking a bone in his hand. Happily, he has now recovered and is brought back into representative rugby by being given a chance to prove himself at A level.
Recently, Miller spoke about his desire to play again for Ireland and, hopefully, make another trip to the Southern Hemisphere with the Lions. "That was a fantastic experience. I would love to get another chance but I suppose I will just have to keep my fingers crossed. My main aim right now is to get back playing international rugby with Ireland."
There is no change on the Ireland senior squad from which the team to play Wales in the Six Nations will be announced on Tuesday next.
The A squad has been considerably strengthened with the return of Miller, Shane Horgan and Ross Nesdale and possibly by the inclusion of Liam Toland, the current Leinster captain. They replace Trevor Brennan, Jonathan Bell, Peter Smyth and Johnny O’Connor who was carried off injured in the latter stages of the match with France.
Ireland A, still smarting from their heavy defeat by the French could do with a fit Miller against a Welsh side that has traditionally posed us problems.
Last year, Ireland beat Wales but only by two points in a thriller at Donnybrook in Dublin. The last time the teams met in Wales at Ebbw Vale Wales cantered to a 40 29 victory.
IRELAND SENIOR SQUAD: Backs; Girvan Dempsey (Terenure College), Denis Hickie (St. Mary’s College), Tyrone Howe (Dungannon), Kevin Maggs (Bath), Brian O’Driscoll (Blackrock College), Rob Henderson (Wasps), David Humphreys (Dungannon), Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution), Peter Stringer (Shannon), Brian O’Meara (Cork Constitution).
Forwards: John Hayes (Shannon), Peter Clohessy (Young Munster), Emmet Byrne (St. Mary’s), Keith Wood (Harlequins), Frank Sheahan (Cork Con), Malcolm O’Kelly (St. Mary’s College), Mick Galwey (Shannon), Gary Longwell (Ballymena), Anthony Foley (Shannon), David Wallace (Garryowen), Alan Quinlan (Shannon), Andy Ward (Ballynahinch).
THE IRELAND A SQUAD: Backs: Dominic Crotty (Garryowen), Geordan Murphy (Leicester), Anthony Horgan (Cork Con), Mike Mullins (Young Munster), John Kelly (Cork Constitution), Shane Horgan (Lansdowne), Paul Burke (Harlequins), Jeremy Staunton (Garryowen), Tom Tierney (Garryowen), Kieron Campbell (London Irish).
Forwards; Justin Fitzpatrick (Dungannon), Marcus Horan (Shannon), Simon Best (Belfast Harlequins), Ross Nesdale (Newcastle), Shane Byrne (Blackrock College), Leo Cullen (do), Bob Casey (do), Mick O’Driscoll (Cork Constitution), Eric Miller (Terenure College), Tony McWhirter (Dungannon), Liam Toland (Lansdowne), Victor Costello (St. Mary’s College).
