The Ireland squad has been retained en bloc following the 22-15 victory over France for Saturday week's Six Nations Championship game against Wales at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. A predictable development, it simply recognises the success at Lansdowne Road last Saturday and the quality of the team's performance for the first 65 minutes.
Coach Warren Gatland spent the weekend reviewing the action, not an unpleasant task. "I enjoyed periods of the game in which we played very well. I think beforehand if you had said that Ireland would be leading 22-3 at one stage, you'd have to be happy. The most pleasing aspect was probably the match stats, in terms of time of possession and the dominance in several areas."
The senior squad will convene on Sunday and the team to play Wales will be announced in the old Lansdowne pavilion at lunch-time on Tuesday. One obvious priority is refocusing in the light of the two opening victories, a marked contrast to Welsh fortunes to date. Gatland is aware of this potential banana skin.
"We have looked to create a momentum in terms of confidence and attitude but that does not mean we'll get carried away by a good start. Wales are a different proposition and will be backed by a backs-to-the-wall attitude. I mean their starting XV on Saturday week will probably all have made the initial Lions squad."
There are four changes to the A squad, the most surprising of which is the return of the New Zealand-born, Newcastle hooker Ross Nesdale. He missed all of last season with a neck injury but has been playing at club level for the past four months and has come back to national prominence. "We're happy with Frankie (Sheahan) but we're looking for someone pretty experienced in case anything happened to Keith Wood," said Gatland.
St Mary's College hooker Peter Smyth can be considered unfortunate in dropping out of the A squad. Jonathan Bell (Dungannon) and Trevor Brennan (St Mary's College) are also omitted in favour of Shane Horgan (Lansdowne) - he was selected in the original A squad for the France match before moving up to the senior as cover for Tyrone Howe - and a fit again Eric Miller (Terenure College).
Johnny O'Connor's misfortune (broken arm) at Ravenhill last Friday night means a call-up for Leinster captain Liam Toland, currently trying to shake off a niggling neck injury.
The A team will also be selected on Tuesday.
The squad
G Dempsey (Terenure), D Hickie (St Mary's), T Howe (Dungannon), K Maggs (Bath), B O'Driscoll (Blackrock), R Henderson (Wasps), D Humphreys (Dungannon), R O'Gara (Cork Con), P Stringer (Shannon), B O'Meara (Cork Con), J Hayes (Shannon), P Clohessy (Young Munster), E Byrne (St Mary's), K Wood (Harlequins), F Sheahan (Cork Con), M O'Kelly (St Mary's), M Galwey (Shannon), G Longwell (Ballymena), A Foley (Shannon), D Wallace (Garryowen), A Quinlan (Shannon), A Ward (Ballynahinch).
IRELAND A SQUAD: D Crotty (Garryowen), G Murphy (Leicester), A Horgan (Cork Constitution), M Mullins (Young Munster), J Kelly (Cork Constitution), S Horgan (Lansdowne), P Burke (Harlequins), J Staunton (Garryowen), T Tierney (Garryowen), K Campbell (London Irish), J Fitzpatrick (Dungannon), M Horan (Shannon), S Best (Belfast Harlequins), R Nesdale (Newcastle), S Byrne (Blackrock College), L Cullen (Blackrock College), B Casey (Blackrock College), M O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution), E Miller (Terenure College), T McWhirter (Dungannon), L Toland (Lansdowne), V Costello (St Mary's College).
