Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan has called up Leinster's Luke Fitzgerald in place of injured Wasps outhalf Jeremy Staunton ahead of the tour of Argentina.

Staunton was always a doubt having only recently recovered from a thumb injury and was omitted from the Wasps squad for the Heineken Cup final against Leicester on May 20th.

Despite Staunton's recovery, it was thought within the Irish camp that game time with Ireland A in the Churchill Cup would suit the former Munster man better.

Speaking on the change today O'Sullivan said: "Jeremy has not played in some time and with no game time I thought it would be better for him to get some match practice with the A team."

Fitzgerald, who was originally named in the A squad, is natural fullback and capable winger but has little experience of playing outhalf, especially at this level.

O'Sullivan, who has rested Ronan O'Gara and the rest of his front liners ahead of the forthcoming World Cup campaing, will travel with only one recognised outhalf, in the shape of Ulster's Paddy Wallace.

Fitzgerald is hugely talented and was the youngest person in almost 30 years to play for the senior side when he won his first cap against the Pacific Islanders in last year's Autumn International series, but he primarily offers cover for the back three.

His inclusion may be a sign that O'Sullivan sees cover for the back three as more of priority ahead of the World Cup in France in September.

Girvan Dempsey played brilliantly in the Six Nations but the fullback will be pushing 32 by the autumn and winger Denis Hickie, who also enjoyed a successful spring, is 31.

Nevertheless, it leaves the Ireland coach with very little cover for the number 10 shirt if Wallace is injured.  Connacht's Gavin Duffy would be the most likely candidate, with Geordan Murphy another possibility when he joins the squad after his Heineken Cup final appearance with Leicester.

Full Squad

Forwards (17):

Neil Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)

Simon Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)

Peter Bracken (Wasps)

Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)

Leo Cullen (Leicester)

Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)

Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster)

Keith Gleeson (St.Mary's College/Leinster)

Jamie Heaslip (Clontarf/Leinster)

Trevor Hogan (Shannon/Leinster)

Bernard Jackman (Clontarf/Leinster)

Shane Jennings (Leicester)

Mick O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster)

Malcolm O'Kelly (St.Mary's College/Leinster)

Alan Quinlan (Shannon/Munster)

Frankie Sheahan (Cork Constitution/Munster)

Bryan Young (Ballymena/Ulster)

Backs (13):

Isaac Boss (Ballymena/Ulster)

Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Munster)

Brian Carney (Clonakilty/Munster)

Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht)

Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster)

Kieran Lewis (St.Mary's College/Leinster)

*Barry Murphy (U.L. Bohemians/Munster)

Geordan Murphy (Leicester)

Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster)

Eoin Reddan (Wasps)

Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock/Leinster)

Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)

Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)