Six Nations Countdown: Luke Fitzgerald is a late, and obviously crucial, withdrawal from the Irish under-20 team that play Wales at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea tonight (kick-off 7.30).
The only player in the squad with a full Irish cap suffered "a recurrence of the neck injury that he picked up while playing for Leinster", according to an IRFU statement yesterday. This indicates the damage is not directly related to the shoulder injury he sustained before Christmas.
Fitzgerald did ship a heavy blow when tackling the Llanelli Scarlets' Kiwi centre Regan King last Friday night.
Fitzgerald's position at fullback is taken by Seapoint's Felix Jones, while the former St Gerard's schoolboy Kyle Tonetti, now with Blackrock, is called up to the bench.
A line-up heavily populated by Leinster players (eight starters) but captained by the promising Ulster flanker David Pollack will still be expected to edge past a Welsh side containing 11 players who have featured in the Magners Celtic League this season.
None of the Irish players has started a competitive senior provincial match. All under-20 Six Nations games take place on Fridays. England and France will play in Dubarry Park, Athlone.
IRELAND: F Jones(Seapoint/Leinster); S Monahan(Dublin University/Leinster), D Cave(Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), A Wynne(Buccaneers/Connacht), K Earls(Thomond/Munster); I Keatley(UCD/Leinster), P O'Donohue(UCD/Leinster); D Millard(Harlequins/Exiles), R Sweeney(St Mary's/Leinster), J Hagan(Greystones/Leinster); C McInerney(UCD/Leinster), A Browne(Galwegians/Connacht); T Anderson(Dungannon/Ulster), D Pollock(capt, Queen's/Ulster), S O'Brien(UCD/Leinster) Replacements: G Slattery (Young Munster/Munster), R Murphy(Lansdowne/Leinster), N Keogh(UCC/Munster), T O'Donnell(UL Boh/Munster), D Drake(Ballymena/Ulster), N O'Connor(Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), K Tonnetti(Blackrock College/Leinster).
Peel the banana skin
Matt Williams on Peter Stringer v Dwayne Peel:
"With all the talk about the scrum being crucial to the game's outcome a lot of pressure will, by knock-on effect, fall on how Peter Stringer deals with the attentions of Dwayne Peel.
"Peel is an aggressive scrumhalf and an expert at disrupting opponents from the base. The Llanelli number nine also possesses a lightning break.
"Stringer has the best pass in world rugby. If Gethin Jenkins has his way with John Hayes, or Chris Horsman with Marcus Horan, then Stringer's silver-service delivery will suffer and the aftershocks will be evident in the Irish back line."
Shinar light for Scots
The Scottish rugby squad revealed this week they were utilising the services of the Israeli motivational guru Yehuda Shinar.
This left-field idea was first investigated by Clive Woodward when he brought Shinar into the English camp prior to the 2003 World Cup.
Shinar has spent 20 years researching what it takes to be a winner. Coincidentally, Woodward's autobiography is titled Winning!
"We had to get him to England as soon as possible," said Woodward in his book.
"By the time I returned home my mind was in overdrive ... some of his ideas are fascinating."
Scotland's chances of retaining the Calcutta Cup look slim but, for what they are worth, here are some of Shinar's words of, er, wisdom:
"How do they (winners) cope with stressful competitive situations? All winners behave the same using the same strategies - they just think under pressure."
Women kick off in Wales
As with the under-20s, the women's Six Nations coincides with the main competition this season, with Italy replacing Spain to ensure the final game also takes place in Rome on St Patrick's Day.
Ireland's campaign, under new coach John O'Sullivan, gets under way at Taffs Well RFC in Cardiff tomorrow. France visit Templeville Road on February 10th and England visit Thomond Park on February 25th. Both home games have a 2.30pm kick-off but the matches in Edinburgh and Rome are somewhat devalued by 11am and 11.30am starts.
Fantasy Rugby
Today is the last day you can submit a Guinness Fantasy team for the Six Nations. Entrants will be in direct opposition to George Hook, Gerry Thornley and Paul O'Connell.
The prize? Four tickets to Murrayfield for Ireland's World Cup warm-up against Scotland next August.
Log on to guinnessfantasyrugby to get involved.
