Autumn international Ireland v South Africa: Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan yesterday made four alterations to the 22-man squad that ended a marathon season in defeat to Australia last June.

On Saturday week the Springboks provide the first Test of an even longer campaign - O'Sullivan's seventh in charge - consisting of 12 internationals ahead of next year's World Cup.

Despite playing his recent rugby at inside centre, Ulster's Paddy Wallace is preferred to Jeremy Staunton of London Wasps as understudy to Ronan O'Gara. The other changes are relatively academic. Simon Easterby and Malcolm O'Kelly return at the expense of Keith Gleeson and Mick O'Driscoll, while the injured Jerry Flannery (expected to be a contender come the Six Nations) is replaced by his Munster team-mate Frankie Sheahan.

The main focus, however, is the shift in preference toward Wallace, who now looks like the man O'Sullivan intends to nurture with an eye to the World Cup in France.

"We looked at Paddy in the Churchill Cup this year and he played very well," said O'Sullivan at yesterday's Rugby Writers awards. "His form for Ulster, albeit not at outhalf, has been excellent. Jeremy has been holding down a spot with Wasps. It was a difficult call; it could have gone either way.

"In the A game we saw Jeremy at outhalf as well so it has come from that. It's just one of those decisions you make. It's not cut in stone but for the moment that's what it is.

"I told him (Wallace) that a prerequisite to getting on the Irish squad was to be a regular with Ulster. He has got his break this year, albeit not at 10, but he has played exceptionally well. I think it's pretty much a form selection."

This may rule out using Geordan Murphy as outhalf cover - an option that would allow O'Sullivan select a second three-quarter on the bench.

"We've got to start looking at possibilities at outhalf," said O'Sullivan. "We haven't gone too far down the track and I think it is a good opportunity now. Jeremy and Paddy are in the mix so we will see where that gets us."

Ulster's Ireland-qualified Kiwi Isaac Boss has done enough to retain his place in the squad ahead of another Wasps player, Eoin Reddan. But O'Sullivan repeated the halfback picks were based on form rather than preference for home-based players.

Outside backs who pushed hard for inclusion were Denis Hickie and John Kelly but Andrew Trimble's development at wing, where Ulster coach Mark McCall has started playing him, appears justified.

Father Time may have conspired against Hickie and Kelly but both remain in consideration and could feature in the A international against Australia on November 15th at Thomond Park. This also looks the ideal environment to blood Luke Fitzgerald in a senior international jersey.

"There were some difficult calls because some players were on form . . . Denis Hickie has been playing well and John Kelly has been outstanding for Munster. We had the same scenario again in the back row, as always.

"We are looking at this in terms of a squad. Hopefully we will be able to rotate players a little bit, depending on how results go, and we've got to look towards the World Cup as well. And there's an A international tucked into the middle of all that, where these guys who weren't in the 22 today will get a chance.

"It's the first selection of the season and you cannot read too much into it and we want a big performance against South Africa."

The 12 forwards largely picked themselves, Easterby's return ahead of Gleeson as much down to versatility as anything else, with Denis Leamy and David Wallace capable of covering at number seven. Gleeson, like Reddan, has recently suffered from absence through injury.

The hulking Armagh flanker Stephen Ferris must be a certainty for the A game, while Simon Best was excluded because he lacked game time. The tighthead is expected to recover from an ankle fracture by early December so in the meantime his versatile Ulster teammate Bryan Young gets the opportunity to cement a place in O'Sullivan's plans.

One question repeatedly put to O'Sullivan - about perceived lack of adventure in team selection - was kicked to touch as usual. Will he experiment for the Pacific Islanders - on paper the easiest of the November Tests?

"I'm not going to underrate the Pacific Islands - they are still a strong side," he said. "Let's see how South Africa goes. We are still playing Test rugby so we still want to get results." And, to give O'Sullivan his due, it's the results that have brought him to this juncture in his coaching career.

Ireland squad

(v South Africa, Saturday, November 10th)

FORWARDS

Neil Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)

Rory Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)

Simon Easterby (Llanelli)

John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)

Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster)

Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster) Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)

Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster) Malcolm O'Kelly (St Mary's College/Leinster)

Frankie Sheahan (Cork Constitution/Munster)

David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)

Bryan Young (Ballymena/Ulster)

BACKS

Isaac Boss (Ballymena/Ulster)

Girvan Dempsey (Terenure College/Leinster)

Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster) Shane Horgan (Lansdowne/Leinster) Geordan Murphy (Leicester)

Brian O'Driscoll (Blackrock College/Leinster)

Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)

Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)

Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)

Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)

Habana replaces Fourie for Springboks

Jaque Fourie has been ruled out of South Africa's tour of Ireland and England after suffering an injury in training yesterday.

The centre broke a bone in a hand after finding himself caught at the bottom of a ruck in a practice session and is expected to be out of action for six weeks.

He will be replaced by winger Bryan Habana, who was one of several senior players being rested with next year's World Cup in mind.

"Utility back Jaque Fourie has been ruled out of the Ireland/England tour with a hand injury," a statement from SA Rugby said.

"He will be replaced by Bryan Habana. Fourie's injury means he will be out of action for six weeks."

SOUTH AFRICA SQUAD

Forwards: Johan Ackermann, BJ Botha, Gary Botha, Deon Carstens, Jacques Cronje, Hilton Lobberts, Johann Muller, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Danie Rossouw, Lawrence Sephaka, John Smit (captain), Juan Smith, Pierre Spies, Albert Van Den Berg, CJ Van Der Linde, Pedrie Wannenberg.

Backs: Jean De Villiers, Bevan Fortuin, Bryan Habana, Butch James, Enrico Januarie, Akona Ndungane, Wynand Olivier, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Andre Pretorius, Jaco Pretorius, Francois Steyn