Such has been the experimental approach of the Irish management to their second string that coach Mike Ruddock has been left directing a cast of thousands as much as coaching an A side. Come 5.00 this evening when they meet their Italian counterparts at Donnybrook, the Irish A squad will have used 46 players in six games this season.
Injuries have undoubtedly been a factor, particularly this time around. In any event, Ruddock will tonight be operating with a new three-quarter line, a new teenage out-half, three more changes in the tight five and one more in the back row.
Amid the upheavals, there will also have been a few "hello, my names is. . " introductions on account of the three new first or second generation Irishmen from the Southern Hemisphere who have been inducted into Irish ranks.
Matt Mostyn, as a mere 23-year-old outside centre who has played Super 12s and has captained the Wallaby sevens, looks possibly the most interesting of the new converts compared to the slightly more venerable West Hartlepool pair of Kiwis, hooker Shane McDonald and inside centre Mike Mullins. (the former pair apparently are Connacht bound, with Mullins possibly heading north).
Not alone have injuries (Shane Horgan the one noteworthy A success of the season, being the most obvious) left the midfield cupboard a tad threadbare, but an undistinguished A campaign culminated in the nadir of that 31-21 defeat in Scotland.
Though you wouldn't have thought it given this season's turnovers, fresh faces may not do be any harm.
Approaching Myreside that night three weeks ago, even before kick-off you pined for the injured and absent Niall Woods. At least Woods was good for a run or two; he'd get bums on the edges of seats. Apart from a few thrusts by Shane Horgan, there was nothing to get excited about in that whistle and error strewn night, until the introduction of Barry Everitt and a late burst by Darragh O'Mahony livenened things up. But by then most Irish punters had either long since departed or dozed off.
The Shannon back row are tonight back in harness for only the second time at A level - the other time was the season's sole win over France and aside from the three antipodeans, at least Dennis Hickie is back, as is James Topping after injury-plagued seasons. Most of all, there is the elevation from the under-21 ranks of the 19year-old Garryowen wunderkind Jeremy Staunton to look forward to. The Italians' strength in depth looks ominously poor on the eve of their entry to the Championship, although after a 61-6 defeat away to the Scottish As, their A side bounced back to beat their Welsh counterparts 24-23 at home three weeks ago.
Despite the promotion of Staunton and Brian O'Driscoll to better things, and a spate of injuries, the nucleus of the Irish under-21 side which beat all bar Wales has by and large been retained. They should be too strong at Ravenhill for the Italians, who have had disappointing results so far.
IRELAND A: S Mason (Ballymena); J Topping (Ballymena), M Mostyn (Begles Bordeaux), M Mullins (West Hartlepool), D Hickie (St Mary's College); J Staunton (Garryowen), B O'Meara (Cork Constitution); J Screene (Buccaneers), S McDonald (West Hartlepool), M Cahill (Buccaneers), M Galwey (Shannon, capt), G Fulcher (Lansdowne), A Quinlan (Shannon), A Foley (Shannon), E Halvey (Shannon). Replacements - M Murphy (Galwegians), R O'Gara (Cork Constitution), G Easterby (London Scottish), D Wallace (Garryowen), G Longwell (Ballymena), J Hayes (Shannon), A Clarke (Dungannon).
IRELAND UNDER-21: G Murphy (Leicester); C Dowling (Greystones), D Quinlan (Blackrock College), K Hartigan (Garryowen), T Keating (Blackrock College); M McHugh (Dublin University), P Stringer (UCC); M Horan (Shannon), P Smyth (St Mary's College), S Best (Newcastle), M O'Driscoll (UCC), R Casey (Blackrock College), P Neville (Old Crescent), L Cullen (Blackrock College), R Woods (Dublin University). Replacements - K Campbell (London Irish), D McCombe (Instonians), J Davis (Dungannon), D Blaney (UCD), A Kearney (UCD0), N Brady (Dungannon), D O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution).
