Irish Rugby Squad to Tour South Africa

Gavin Duffy is the only uncapped player in the 26-man squad named by Ireland Coach Eddie O Sullivan to tour South Africa next month.

Gavin Duffy is the only uncapped player in the 26-man squad named by Ireland Coach Eddie O Sullivan to tour South Africa next month.

The Harlequins player is one of 12 backs and 14 forwards leaving for South Africa on Saturday, June 5th to play the Springboks in a two match Test series, in Bloemfontein on June 12th and in Cape Town on June 19th.

The Ireland management have also named two teams to play in a pre tour warm up game behind closed doors in Lansdowne Road on Friday next, May 28th. The Ireland squad to tour South Africa is:

Forwards (14):

Simon Best (Ulster – Belfast Harlequins), Shane Byrne (Leinster Blackrock College), Reggie Corrigan (Leinster Greystones), Simon Easterby (Llanelli), Anthony Foley (Munster Shannon), John Hayes (Munster Shannon), Marcus Horan (Munster Shannon), Eric Miller (Leinster Terenure College), Donncha O Callaghan (Munster Cork Constitution), Paul O Connell (Munster Young Munster), Malcolm O Kelly (Leinster St. Mary s College), Alan Quinlan (Munster Shannon), Frank Sheahan (Munster Cork Constitution), David Wallace (Munster Garryowen).

Backs (12):

Gordon D Arcy (Leinster Lansdowne), Girvan Dempsey (Leinster Terenure College), Gavin Duffy (Harlequins), Guy Easterby (Rotherham), Shane Horgan (Leinster Lansdowne), Tyrone Howe (Ulster Dungannon), David Humphreys (Ulster Dungannon), Kevin Maggs (Bath), Geordan Murphy (Leicester), Brian O Driscoll (Leinster Blackrock College) Captain, Ronan O Gara (Munster Cork Constitution), Peter Stringer (Munster Shannon).

Standby (9):

Emmett Byrne (Leinster St. Mary s College), Victor Costello (Leinster St. Mary s College), Leo Cullen (Leinster Blackrock College), Neil Doak (Ulster Ballymena), Shaun Payne (Munster Dolphin), Bernard Jackman (Connacht Clontarf), John Kelly (Munster Cork Constitution), Paddy Wallace (Ulster Ballymena), Roger Wilson (Ulster Belfast Harlequins).

* Not Considered due to injury: Keith Gleeson (Leinster St.Mary s College), Denis Hickie (Leinster St.Mary s College).

Warm Up Game Teams, for which the Blues will be coached by Michael Bradley and the Whites by Mark McCall.

Blues 15. G. Dempsey*; 14. B. Burke, 13. J. Kelly, 12. K. Maggs**, 11. T. Howe, 10. R. O Gara 9. P. Stringer, 1. M. Horan, 2. F. Sheahan, 3. J. Hayes, 4. D. Browne, 5. L. Cullen, 6. S. Easterby, 7. D. Wallace, 8. A. Foley (C)

Replacements: 16. B. Jackman, 17. R. McCormack, 18. T. Hogan, 19. N. McMillan, 20. K. Campbell, 21. D. Yapp, 22. M. Mostyn

Whites 15. B Cunningham, 14. S. Payne, 13. G. Duffy, 12. J. Holland, 11. A. Horgan, 10. P. Wallace, 9. G. Easterby, 1. R. Corrigan (C), 2. S. Byrne, 3. S. Best, 4. G. Longwell* 5. P. O Connell, 6. R. Wilson, 7. A. Quinlan, 8. V. Costelloe

Replacments:16. P. Shields, 17. E. Byrne, 18. D. Pusey, 19. N. Best*, 20. B. O Meara , 21. M. Mullins, 22. M. McPhail

*Girvan Dempsey is selected subject to passing a fitness test. Should he not play Matt Mostyn will start and his place on the bench will be taken by Conor McPhillips.

*Gary Longwell is selected subject to passing a fitness test. Should he not play David Pusey will start and his place on the bench will be taken by Aidan Kearney.

*Neil Best is selected subject to passing a fitness test. Should he become unavailable his place on the bench will be taken by John O Sullivan.

** Kevin Maggs is selected subject to being released by Bath. If he becomes unavailable his place will be taken by Darren Yapp and his place will be taken by Seamus Mallon.

Not considered: Donncha O Callaghan, Gordon D Arcy, Rob Henderson, Ben Gissing, Brian O Riordan, Matt McCullough, Mark McHugh, David Quinlan.

NB: On duty with the Barbarians: Brian O Driscoll, Shane Horgan, David Humphreys, Geordan Murphy, Malcolm O Kelly, Eric Miller.