Kidney names reduced Ireland squad

Bernard Jackman, Shane Jennings, Andrew Trimble and Eoin Reddan were the high-profile omissions from the 27-man RBS Six Nations squad announced by Ireland coach Declan Kidney today.

The Senior squad was trimmed from 39 to 27, with the 'A' squad also announced and Kidney has omitted numerous experienced players from his squad.

<notforsyndication>Read Brendan Cole's assessment of Declan Kidney's options in each position.</notforsyndication>

Reddan was Ireland's starting scrum-half in last year's RBS Six Nations but now finds himself third choice behind Munster pair Tomás O'Leary, who is currently first choice for the province, and Peter Stringer in the pecking order.

Jackman has also frequently been a starter for Ireland in the last two years, and had been in good form for Leinster in the Heineken Cup hut he too is in third place in a specialist position, with Rory Best and Jerry Flannery the two hookers named in the 27.

Leinster openside Shane Jennings also finds himself out in the cold despite having featured in the November International series, including a substitute appearance in the 3-22 defeat to New Zealand, a match in which Reddan also made an appearance from the bench.

Jamie Heaslip, Denis Leamy, Stephen Ferris, Mick O'Driscoll, Alan Quinlan and David Wallace are the back row options named in the Senior squad.

Paul O'Connell, Donncha O'Callaghan and Malcolm O'Kelly are the named specialist second rows with Ulster's Ryan Caldwell dropping and Munster's Donnacha Ryan dropping into the 'A's.

In the propping positions, Ulster's Tom Court got the nod ahead of Harlequins player Mike Ross and Leinster's Cian Healy, who also go into the 'A' squad. Munster and Ireland stalwarts Marcus Horan and John Hayes both also received Senior berths.

In the backs, Gordon D'Arcy returns to the squad after a lengthy spell out with injury while Girvan Dempsey keeps his place in the Senior group despite having been passed by Kearney in the Leinster full-back pecking order with Geordan Murphy also named.

Trimble, who has been playing on the wing for Ulster this season, is also demoted to the 'A' squad despite his extensive international experience. Young guns such as Keith Earls, Luke Fitzgerald and Rob Kearney are retained in the Senior group.

Senior players Brian O'Driscoll and Ronan O'Gara were also, unsurprisingly, on the list.

Ulster playmaker Paddy Wallace also retained his place and along with D'Arcy, Keith Earls, Luke Fitzgerald and Shane Horgan is among the candidates to play alongside captain Brian O'Driscoll at inside centre.

Former Ulster wing Tommy Bowe, who now plys his trade with the Neath-Swansea Ospreys, is also in the Senior squad.

Leinster out-half Jonathan Sexton drops into the 'A' squad, along with Ulster centre Darren Cave, Munster winger Ian Dowling and Connacht's Gavin Duffy.

In terms of province/club breakdown, Kidney named 13 Munster players, eight Leinster players, four Ulster players and one each from the Neath-Swansea Ospreys (Tommy Bowe) and Leicester (Geordan Murphy). With Duffy left out and scrum-half Frank Murphy not in the expanded squad, there are no Connacht players in the 27 named today.

Meanwhile, of the 14 forwards named, nine are from Munster with just two from Leinster. Three of the forwards are from Ulster. There are six Leinster backs to four from Munster.

Ireland squad for the 2009 RBS 6 Nations opener against France, Saturday 7 February, 5pm at Croke Park:

Backs:
Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
Girvan Dempsey (Terenure College - Leinster)
Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne - Leinster)
Keith Earls (Young Munster - Munster)
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College - Leinster)
Shane Horgan (Boyne - Leinster)
Robert Kearney (UCD - Leinster)
Geordan Murphy (Leicester)
Brian O'Driscoll (UCD - Leinster)
Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution - Munster)
Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin - Munster)
Peter Stringer (Shannon - Munster)
Paddy Wallace (Ballymena - Ulster)

Forwards:
Rory Best (Banbridge - Ulster)
Tom Court (Malone - Ulster)*
Stephen Ferris (Dungannon - Ulster)
Jerry Flannery (Shannon - Munster)
John Hayes (Bruff- Munster)
Jamie Heaslip (Naas - Leinster)
Marcus Horan (Shannon - Munster)
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)
David Wallace (Garryowen - Munster)

Ireland A Team Squad v England Saxons:

Backs:
Isaac Boss (Ballymena - Ulster)
Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins - Ulster)*
Ian Dowling (Shannon - Munster)*
Gavin Duffy (Galwegians - Connacht)
Ian Humphreys (Ballymena - Ulster)
Keith Matthews (Buccaneers - Connacht)
Eoin Reddan (Wasps)
Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College - Leinster)*
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena - Ulster)

Forwards:
John Andress (Exeter)
Neil Best (Northampton)
Ryan Caldwell (Dungannon - Ulster)*
Bob Casey (London Irish)
Sean Cronin (Buccaneers -Connacht)
Cian Healy (Clontarf - Leinster)*
Bernard Jackman (Clontarf - Leinster)
Shane Jennings (St. Mary's College - Leinster)
John Muldoon (Galwegians - Connacht)
Mike Ross (Harlequins)*
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon - Munster)
Sean O’Brien (Clontarf - Leinster)