Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan has given the first indication of his plans for the Rugby World Cup in France by cutting nine players from the squad ahead of the tournament appetiser against Scotland next week.

Though the players left off the list are not necessarily out of the reckoning for September's showpiece, O'Sullivan admits that the 37-man forms the primary pool of players for consideration.

That means that unless there are injuries it is unlikely that the Leinster duo of Rob Kearney or Luke Fitzgerald will feature in France. Jeremy Staunton's wayward kicking display in Argentina also appears to have cost him his tournament with the coach opting to select Paddy Wallace as Ronan O'Gara's understudy.

Connacht flanker Johnny O'Connor will also miss out, as will Tomás O'Leary, Ryan Caldwell, Peter Bracken and Tony Buckley.

Munster's Barry Murphy (ankle) and Leinster forward Shane Jennings (hand) were not considered because they are injured. Caldwell, too, was concussed during a contact training session in Limerick, where the original 48-man squad has been working this week. He will be kept in hosspital overnight as a precaution.

O'Sullivan will have to trim another seven players from the squad after the Scotland game in time for the tournament deadline of August 14th.

"The team to play Scotland will be selected from the 37 man squad named today," said the Ireland coach. "While the players that have been omitted may come back into the squad in the case of any injuries, it would be fair to say that these 37 players will form the basis of our final Rugby World Cup Squad selection.

"All of the squad have worked extremely hard this week and this has put us into a good position as regard the quality of our training. The game against Scotland will be the last chance we have to look at players before we name our 30 man squad. After that, there will be some very difficult decisions to be made."

Gordon D'Arcy (calf strain) and David Wallace (ankle) both returned to training today after recovering from minor knocks.  O'Gara, though, sat out the session but his knee injury is not a cause for concern for the coaching staff.

Ulster wing Tommy Bowe also picked up a calf strain but is included nonetheless.

Ireland face the Scots in Murrayfield on Saturday week and O'Sullivan will name the starting XV on Tuesday.  After the coach culls another seven the squad will then prepare for Italy's visit to Ravenhill on Friday August 24th.

Forwards:Neil Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Rory Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) , Simon Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster), Simon Easterby (Llanelli), Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster), Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster), Keith Gleeson (St.Mary's College/Leinster), John Hayes (Bruff/Munster), Jamie Heaslip (Clontarf/Leinster), Trevor Hogan (Shannon/Leinster), Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster), Bernard Jackman (Clontarf/Leinster), Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster), Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster), Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster), Mick O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster), Malcolm O'Kelly (St.Mary's College/Leinster), Alan Quinlan (Shannon/Munster), Frankie Sheahan (Cork Constitution/Munster), David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster), Bryan Young (Ballymena/Ulster).

 
Backs: Isaac Boss (Ballymena/Ulster), Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Brian Carney (Clonakilty/Munster), Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster), Girvan Dempsey (Terenure College/Leinster), Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht), Shane Horgan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Denis Hickie (St. Mary's College/Leinster), Geordan Murphy (Leicester), Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster), Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster), Eoin Reddan (Wasps), Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster), Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster), Paddy Wallace  (Ballymena/Ulster)