Rugby – Ireland representative team news:A number of senior players, including Marcus Horan and Peter Stringer, will be out to avenge last weekend's defeat to the England Saxons when Ireland 'A' take on their Scottish counterparts at Ravenhill this Friday (7.30pm).
The Munster pair both featured in last weekend’s 17-13 defeat at Bath’s Recreation Ground. Horan will also hope another game under his belt will boost his chances of inclusion against France in the senior international next week.
After coming on as a replacement against the Saxons, Chris Henry starts as captain against Scotland with a side showing several changes after the likes of Ulster pair, Paddy Wallace and Rory Best, plus Leinster’s Sean O’Brien were drafted into the senior squad ahead of Saturday’s Six Nations opener against Italy at Croke Park (2.30pm).
In all the side shows seven personnel changes to the side that started against the Saxons.
Darren Cave starts at outside centre and will partner Fergus McFadden, while Leicester’s Johne Murphy takes his place on the right wing. Cave’s Ulster team-mate Ian Humphries will pull the strings at outhalf after coming off the bench against the Saxons.
In the pack, Sean Cronin starts at hooker with Ryan Caldwell coming into the side for Mick O'Driscoll to partner Devin Toner in the secondrow. With O'Brien named on the bench for the senior team, Dan Tuohy is named at blindside with Shane Jennings moving to openside flanker.
The Ireland Under-20 team to take on Italy in their Six Nations opener at Dubarry Park in Athlone on Friday (7.35pm) was also named today.
Centre Nevin Spence returns to the side along with scrumhalf John Cooney. Five forwards also return from last season; frontrow Jack O'Connell, secondrow David O'Callaghan, Leinster duo, Dominic Ryan and Rhys Ruddock, in the backrow and Brian Hayes in the replacements. Ruddock will captain the side.
Ireland coach Allen Clarke will hope the 2007 Grand Slam winners can go one better than last season when they finished runners-up on points difference to France.
Earlier today, women’s coach Kevin West named four new caps in his side to face Italy. Chris Fanning (hooker),
Mary Louise Reilly (secondrow), Nora Stapleton and Alison Miller (wings) will make their debut in Ashbourne on Friday night (7.30pm).
“With Italy you don’t know from one year to the other what their game plan will be because they’re further away, without much press and without a lot of news about their club games,” conceded Irish skipper Fiona Coghlan. “They are the unknown.”
Ireland Teams
Ireland 'A' team (v Scotland 'A'):Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht), Johne Murphy (Leicester), Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Ian Dowling (Shannon/Munster), Ian Humphreys (Ballymena/Ulster), Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster), Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster), Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht), Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster), Ryan Caldwell (Dungannon/Ulster), Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster), Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster), Shane Jennings (St.Mary's College/Leinster), Chris Henry (Ballymena/Ulster) Captain Replacements: Nigel Brady (Dungannon/Ulster), Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster), Ed O'Donghue (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Niall Ronan (Shannon/Munster), Isaac Boss (Ballymena/Ulster), Ian Keatley (Galwegians/Connacht), Keith Matthews (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Ireland Under-20 team (v Italy):Andrew Conway (Blackrock College/Leinster), Darren Hudson (St. Mary's College/Leinster), Brendan Macken (Blackrock/Leinster), Nevin Spence (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster), James McKinney (Queens University/Ulster), John Cooney (UCD /Leinster), Brian Cagney (UCC/Munster), Niall Annett (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Jack O'Connell (Lansdowne/Leinster), David O'Callaghan (UCC/Munster), Ben Marshall (UCD/Leinster), Rhys Ruddock (UCD/Leinster), Dominic Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Patrick Butler (Shannon/Munster) Replacements: David Doyle (UCD/Leinster), Stewart Maguire (Old Belvedere/ Leinster), Brian Hayes (Cork Constitution/Munster), Robin O' Sullivan (Bective Rangers/Leinster), Michael Heaney (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Brian Kingston (Blackrock/Leinster), Eoin Griffin (Corinthians/Connacht)
Ireland Women's team (v Italy): Niamh Briggs (Clonmel / Munster); Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere / Leinster), Grace Davitt (Blackrock / Leinster), Shannon Houston (Blackrock / Leinster), Alison Miller (Portlaoise / Connacht); Joanne O'Sullivan (Richmond / Exile), Tania Rosser (Blackrock / Leinster); Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians / Leinster), Chris Fanning (Highfield / Munster), Emer McManamly (Blackrock / Leinster); Kate O'Loughlin (Clonmel / Munster), Marie Louise Reilly (Navan / Leinster), Carol Staunton (Galwegians / Connacht), Claire Molloy (Bristol / Connacht), Joy Neville (UL Bohemians / Munster) Replacements: Gillian Bourke (UL Bohemians / Munster), Lauren Day (Cooke / Ulster), Caroline Mahon (UL Bohemians / Leinster), Louise Austin (UL Bohemians / Munster), Louise Beamish (UL Bohemians / Munster), Helen Brosnan (Highfield / Munster), Eliza Downey (Cooke / Ulster)