Horan to Start against Romania

Four of Munster’s finest Peter Stringer, Marcus Horan, Paul O’Connell and Anthony Foley – will line out in the starting XV for Ireland when they open their 2003 RWC campaign against Romania.

Four of Munster’s finest Peter Stringer, Marcus Horan Paul O’Connell and Anthony Foley – will line out in the starting XV for Ireland when they open their 2003 RWC campaign against Romania in the Central Coast Stadium in Gosford on Saturday (ko 8am Irish time).

Added to that, the good news is that the replacement bench for that game includes John Hayes who returns to international action after an absence of seven months. Sitting with Hayes on the bench will be four more Munster men , Donncha O’Callaghan, Alan Quinlan and back pair, Ronan O’Gara and John Kelly

The Ireland team to play Romania on Saturday next:

15-Girvan Dempsey (Leinster-Terenure College) 14-Shane Horgan (Leinster-Lansdowne) 13-Brian O’Driscoll (Leinster-Blackrock College) 12-Kevin Maggs (Bath) 11-Denis Hickie (Leinster-St. Mary’s College) 10-David Humphreys (Ulster-Dungannon) 9-Peter Stringer (Munster-Shannon) 1-Marcus Horan (Munster-Shannon) 2-Keith Wood (Munster-Garryowen)(Captain) 3-Reggie Corrigan (Leinster-Greystones) 4-Malcom O’Kelly (Leinster-St. Mary’s College) 5-Paul O’Connell (Munster – Young Munster) 6-Victor Costello (Leinster-St. Mary’s College) 7-Keith Gleeson (Leinster-St. Mary’sCollege) 8-Anthony Foley (Munster-Shannon)

Replacements: 16-Shane Byrne (Leinster-Blackrock College) 17-John Hayes (Muster- Shannon) 18-Donncha O’Callaghan (Munster-Cork Constitution) 19-Alan Quinlan (Munster-Shannon) 20-Guy Eastrerby (Rotherham) 21-Ronan O’Gara (Munster-Cork Constitution) 22-John Kelly (Munster- Cork Constitution)