The Irish management team has named the squad for the upcoming Autumn internationals.
Donnacha O'Callaghan has been named in the squad, although he will have to pass a late fitness test while London Irish's Kieran Dawson, Keith Gleeson of Leinster and Ulster's Neil McMillan have been omitted due to injury.
Youngsters Tommy Bowe, Denis Leamy and Jonny O'Connor all figure in a 30-man Ireland squad named for the next month's games against South Africa, the United States and Argentina at Lansdowne Road.
Bowe, at just 20 and with nine Ulster caps to his name, has been selected on the back of his fine Celtic League form. 22-year-old uncapped Leamy, who has demoted David Wallace in the provincial stakes this season, is one of ten Munster players in Eddie O'Sullivan's panel.
The clamour for Galway-born openside flanker O'Connor to don a green jersey heightened with his barnstorming displays in Wasps' run to a Premiership-and-Heineken Cup double last season.
So much so that the RFU began pursuing his England qualifications last month. However with a mere 20 months to his international availability for the World Champions, O'Sullivan has firmly closed the door. The 24-year-old, already capped at Under 19, Under 21, Under 23 and A level. His last appearance in an Irish shirt came at Ravenhill in February 2001 when Declan Kidney's A side lost 55-23 to their French counterparts.
Three spaces in the squad have been left, two in the forwards and one in the backs, which will be filled on Sunday, October 31, after the second round of games in the Heineken Cup.
The squad is due to assemble in Dublin on Monday next, November 1st.
FORWARDS:
Simon Best Belfast Harlequins/Ulster
Shane Byrne Blackrock College/Leinster
Reggie Corrigan Greystones/Leinster
Leo Cullen Blackrock College/Leinster
Simon Easterby Llanelli
Anthony Foley Shannon/Munster
John Hayes Shannon/Munster
Marcus Horan Shannon/Munster
Denis Leamy Cork Constitution/Munster
Donnacha O'Callaghan Cork Constitution/Munster
Paul O'Connell Young Munster/Munster
Johnny O'Connor Wasps
Malcolm O'Kelly St Mary's College/Leinster
Frankie Sheahan Cork Constitution/Munster
BACKS:
Tommy Bowe Belfast Harlequins/Ulster
Gordon D'Arcy Lansdowne/Leinster
Girvan Dempsey Terenure College/Leinster
Guy Easterby Blackrock College/Leinster
Denis Hickie St Mary's College/Leinster
Anthony Horgan Cork Constitution/Munster
Shane Horgan Lansdowne/Leinster
David Humphreys Dungannon/Ulster
Kevin Maggs Belfast Harlequins/Ulster
Geordan Murphy Leicester
Brian O'Driscoll Blackrock College/Leinster
Ronan O'Gara Cork Constitution/Munster
Peter Stringer Shannon/Munster
