Jeremy Staunton is a surprise absentee from Eddie O'Sullivan's 43-strong Irish squad, which will prepare for the forthcoming Six Nations Championship at the University of Limerick next week. With such a large squad, there are few other notable omissions, with most other capped players from Warren Gatland's reign included in the squad but Staunton, along with Trevor Brennan, may feel somewhat surprised not to make such a large gathering especially after their involvement in last November's international fixtures.
However, there are recalls for Reg Corrigan and Paul Wallace while six uncapped players have been called up - Ulster's Paddy Wallace and Neil Doak, Leinster's Keith Gleeson and Munster's Anthony Horgan, Paul O'Connell and John Kelly. O'Sullivan's plan was to get the squad together in Limerick next weekend for a week-long training session but with the postponement of Leinster's Heienken Cup clash against Toulouse, his plans will have to adapt to the delay of the 14-man Leinster contingent joining up with the rest of the group.
Forwards: Emmet Byrne (St Mary's College), Shane Byrne (Blackrock College), Peter Clohessy (Young Munster), Reggie Corrigan (Lansdowne), Victor Costello (St Mary's College), Jeremy Davidson (Dungannon), Kieron Dawson (London Irish), Simon Easterby (Llanelli), Anthony Foley (Shannon), Mick Galwey (Shannon), Keith Gleeson (St Mary's College), John Hayes (Shannon), Marcus Horan (Shannon), Gary Longwell (Ballymena), Eric Miller (Terenure College), Malcolm O'Kelly (St Mary's College), Paul O'Connell (Young Munster), Alan Quinlan (Shannon), Frank Sheehan (Cork Constitution), David Wallace (Garryowen), Paul Wallace (Blackrock College), Keith Wood (Harlequins).
Backs: Jonathan Bell (Dungannon), Paul Burke (Harlequins), Girvan Dempsey (Terenure College), Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne), Neil Doak (Ballymena), Guy Easterby (Llanelli), Rob Henderson (Young Munster), Denis Hickie (St Mary's College), Anthony Horgan (Cork Constitution), Shane Horgan (Lansdowne), Tyrone Howe (Dungannon), David Humphreys (Dungannon), John Kelly (Cork Constitution), Kevin Maggs (Bath), Mike Mullins (Young Munster), Geordan Murphy (Leicester), Brian O'Driscoll (Blackrock College), Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution), Brian O'Meara (Cork Constitution), Peter Stringer (Cork Constitution), Paddy Wallace (Ballymena).
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
