The Irish management have reacted to the 78-9 victory over Japan on Saturday by demoting Geordan Murphy to the A team for next Wednesday's encounter against South Africa in Thomond Park, thus effectively electing to play Girvan Dempsey at full back in next Sunday's Test against the Springboks.
Paul Wallace, who was part of a 24-man senior squad last week, has also been picked on the A side and so, save for Dempsey replacing Murphy, the Test squad will otherwise be the same which did duty against Japan. The starting line-up and replacements for Sunday's Test will be announced tomorrow at the squad's base in the Glenview Hotel in Wicklow.
Unnerved perhaps by an early knock-on, Murphy had an unsure second cap on Saturday. He is assuredly a better player than he looked on the day but, as Irish assistant coach Eddie O'Sullivan said yesterday, the talented Leicester player is undoubtedly suffering for playing mostly on the wing with his club.
Although Dempsey hasn't been playing with total confidence for Leinster this season, at least he has been playing his rugby at full back. Furthermore, he has been tried and tested through a dozen internationals, in which he has won seven caps at full back. The notion that David Humphreys might start where he played for the final quarter on Saturday, namely full back, against South Africa seems fanciful.
The main decision now facing the Irish management by tomorrow would appear to be who to play at inside centre, Shane Horgan or Rob Henderson. This could have a possible ripple effect on the wing, were they to start Henderson and contemplate restoring Horgan to wing, where he scored four tries in three championship games last season, but this would be tough on Tyrone Howe, who has performed consistently well all season, took his chance impressively on Saturday and earned a glowing tribute from O'Sullivan afterwards.
The full back position apart, the A side fell along fairly predictable lines, with a recall for last season's forgotten man and Leinster cause celebre Victor Costello. The number eight last appeared in an Irish jersey of any hue when replaced in the first Test of the 1999 summer tour to Australia, 17 months and 16 internationals ago.
A relatively experienced A team will be captained by Tom Tierney, one of 10 internationals in the starting line-up. He will be partnered by his clubmate Jeremy Staunton, the one newcomer to these ranks being another Munster man, the in-form left-winger Anthony Horgan.
South Africa warmed up for the clash with Ireland with a 37-33 win over Argentina in Buenos Aires. In front of a record crowd of 55,000, the home side went ahead through a Gonzalo Quesada penalty in the first minute, but that was the only time they led.
South Africa were superior in handling movements and passing the ball, and while Argentina defended well, it was only a matter of time before Breyton Paulse, Mark Andrews and Braam van Straaten broke through for tries.
At half-time South Africa led 2416, but two converted tries for Argentina left the score at 34-33. With three minutes left, van Straaten landed a penalty to ease the tourists' nerves.
