In what would be a radical move, Geordan Murphy is apparently being considered as an alternative for Brian O'Driscoll at outside centre when Ireland play Australia in Perth tomorrow week.

The talk outside the Irish camp following a week's training in preparation for the tour is that the Leicester game-breaker, heretofore a full-back-cum-winger, is being considered for the role of outside centre, in attack at any rate, but perhaps switching with someone like John Kelly on the wing when in defence.

Eddie O'Sullivan has admitted that finding an understudy to O'Driscoll, who has been ruled out of the tour with a hamstring injury, was his most pressing selectorial need in World Cup year. Gordon D'Arcy and Jeremy Staunton were tried there with limited success in this season's A championship before management returned to Mike Mullins in the dramatic win over the English A side. However, Mullins was originally overlooked for this squad, only being called in as a late replacement for the injured Rob Henderson during the week.

Since making his international debut in Australia in the summer of 1999, O'Driscoll has missed only five internationals. On the first of those occasions Henderson wore the number 13 jersey against Argentina in Buenos Aires, scoring a try, while Mullins deputised in games away to the USA (scoring a hat-trick), Canada and Romania. O'Driscoll played at inside centre in the tests against New Zealand last summer, with Kelly outside him.

Contrary to a report in yesterday's Irish Times and information from a prominent member of the club, incoming Bective Rangers president Ben Kealy has pointed out that their delegates at the Leinster a.g.m. on Thursday night were not mandated to vote for Dorothy Collins in the election for honorary secretary. In fact, they only had three delegates present instead of the four they were entitled to, and they voted individually.