RUGBY IRELAND V BARBARIANS:DENIED the services of the Munster players, interim coach Michael Bradley's Ireland team to play the Barbarians at Kingsholm on Tuesday night represents a reasonable selection based on current form. He has chosen some interesting units within the team for this non-cap international, notably the midfield axis and the backrow.

London Irish totem Bob Casey returns to a green jersey for the first time since coming on as a replacement against Canada in 2000, while there are starting places for Cork-born Harlequins tighthead prop Mike Ross and the Ulster halfback combination of Isaac Boss and Paddy Wallace.

The 29-year-old Casey forms a secondrow partnership with Malcolm O'Kelly, while in the frontrow Ross is joined by Rory Best and Bryan Young. There is considerable ballast and ball-playing ability in the backrow, with first-choice Ireland number eight Jamie Heaslip flanked by fellow Leinsterman Shane Jennings and Ulster's Stephen Ferris.

Bradley has gone with the more experienced pairing of Boss and Wallace, with the Connacht-bound Frank Murphy and Leinster tyro Jonathan Sexton on the bench. Rob Kearney wins the fullback berth ahead of Girvan Dempsey - the latter is named on the bench - while Shane Horgan and Tommy Bowe are named on the wings.

But it is the midfield combination that will command a great deal of interest. The coach has paired Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll with the versatile Luke Fitzgerald, a partnership that could survive into the two Test summer series against New Zealand and Australia.

Bradley pointed out: "This was the ideal opportunity to try Luke in midfield in a pressure situation against quality opposition and both he and Brian (O'Driscoll) have enough talent to make it work."

Even though he'll wear the number 12 jersey it's likely Fitzgerald's great feet in traffic and excellent lines of running will be employed at outside centre when Ireland are in possession.

Wasps' Eoin Reddan and Leicester Tigers duo Geordan Murphy and Johne Murphy remain with their clubs ahead of Saturday week's Guinness Premiership final clash.

Murphy is hoping to make that game as he is nursing a minor tear to knee cartilage that prevented him playing in the Tigers' semi-final win over Gloucester. The Ireland squad has been training in Limerick all week and Bradley is looking forward to the challenge.

"These games are always exciting, high-tempo matches. From that perspective it will be good preparation for us as we head into the tour where the teams have been playing a fast and loose game under the new ELVs (experimental law variations)."

Meanwhile Ireland Under-20 coach Eric Elwood has announced his 26-man squad for the Junior World Championship in Cardiff next month.

The Ireland squad will take part in a training game against their Scotland counterparts in Ravenhill tonight (6.30).

SQUAD: Forwards - S Archer (Munster), B Barclay (Leinster), S Douglas (Ulster), M Entwistle (Ulster), K Essex (Munster), J Harris Wright (Leinster), C Higgins (Connacht), P Karayiannis (Ulster), P Mallon (Leinster), I Nagle (Munster), D Nolan (Connacht), P Ryan (Leinster, capt), J Sandford (Ulster), E Sheriff (Leinster). Backs - E O'Malley (Leinster), C Cleary (Leinster), C Cochrane (Ulster), M Dufficy (Leinster), D Kearney (Leinster), I Madigan (Leinster), D Moore (Leinster), N Morris (Leinster), I Porter (Ulster), S Scanlon (Munster), E Sheridan (Leinster), J Smith (Ulster). Manager: P Orr; Coach: E Elwood; Assistant coach: D McFarland

(v Barbarians, Kingsholm, May 27th)

15 ROB KEARNEY (Leinster)

14 Shane Horgan (Leinster)

13 B O'DRISCOLL (Leinster, capt),

12 L FITZGERALD (Leinster),

11 T BOWE (Ospreys);

10 P WALLACE (Ulster),

9 I BOSS (Ulster)

1 B YOUNG (Ulster)

2 R BEST (Ulster)

3 M ROSS (Harlequins)

4 B CASEY (London Irish)

5 M O'KELLY (Leinster)

6 S FERRIS (Ulster)

7 S JENNINGS (Leinster)

8 J HEASLIP (Leinster).

Replacements: B Jackman (Leinster), T Court (Ulster), R Caldwell (Ulster), N Best (Ulster), F Murphy (Leicester), J Sexton (Leinster), G Dempsey (Leinster).