First Senior Cap For Horgan

Munster wing Anthony Horgan, is set to win his first senior international cap against Samoa in Apia on Friday.

Munster wing Anthony Horgan, is set to win his first senior international cap against Samoa in Apia on Friday.

The Cork Constitution clubman was named in the Ireland side for the final game of their summer tour against the Samoans. Horgan’s fellow Munster men Marcus Horan and Alan Quinlan return to the starting line-up having missed the game against Tonga and Ronan O’Gara is named at out-half despite concerns over a wrist he injured last week.

The Munster representation in the backline comes to five with both Mike Mullins and John Kelly retasining their positions in the centre and wing respectively. Up front Horan’s return to the front row was expected and there is little surprise about the inclusion of Quinlan but there must be some raised eyebrows that there is no place in the starting line-up for Donncha O’Callaghan or David Wallace.

O’Callaghan in particular would have looked an obvious choice to partner Paul O’Connell in the second row, but coach Eddie O’Sullivan has opted to pair Leo Cullen with the Limerick man for the second succcessive game. Ireland v Samoa, Apia, Friday, 3.30.

Ireland team to play Samoa:

15 – Girvan Dempsey (Leinster – Terenure College) 14 – John Kelly (Munster – Cork Constitution) 13 – Mike Mullins (Munster – Old Crescent) 12 – Jonathan Bell (Ulster – Dungannon) 11 – Anthony Horgan (Munster – Cork Constitution) 10 – Ronan O’Gara (Munster – Cork Constitution) 9 – Guy Easterby (Llanelli)

1 – Marcus Horan (Munster – Shannon) 2 – Shane Byrne (Leinster – Blackrock College) 3 – Reggie Corrigan (Leinster – Greystones) Captain 4 – Leo Cullen (Leinster – Blackrock College) 5 – Paul O’Connell (Munster – Young Munster) 6 – Simon Easterby (Llanelli) 7 – Alan Quinlan (Munster – Shannon) 8 – Eric Miller (Leinster – Terenure College)

Replacements: 16 – Paul Shields (Ulster – Ballymena), 17 – Emmet Byrne (Leinster – St. Mary’s College), 18 – Donnacha O’Callaghan (Munster – Cork Constitution), 19 – Aidan McCullen (Leinster – Lansdowne), 20 – Brian O’ Meara (Leinster – Cork Constitution), 21 – Paul Burke (Harlequins), 22 – Gordon Darcy (Leinster – Lansdowne).