Wallace omision main surprise in World Cup squad

Ulster scrum-half Neil Doak was the only uncapped player named in Ireland's 2003 Rugby World Cup squad when it was announced …

Ulster scrum-half Neil Doak was the only uncapped player named in Ireland's 2003 Rugby World Cup squad when it was announced this morning at Lansdowne Road.

The 30-strong squad, captained by Keith Wood, is made up of 17 forwards and 13 backs, although coach Eddie O'Sullivan had to contend with the late blow of losing Geordan Murphy (broken leg) and Rob Henderson (ruptured bicep) to injury this weekend.

As expected, hooker Keith Wood will lead Ireland in his third World Cup after making a successful comeback from a catalogue of neck and shoulder injuries.

His back-up will be Shane Byrne but the selectors have decided to take a third hooker in Frankie Sheahan, who only last week had a two-year drugs ban cut to three months on appeal.

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The Munster forward, an asthma sufferer for 25 years, received the initial suspension in July after testing positive for the banned substance salbutamol, which he inhaled as part of his medication.

Sheahan was forced to miss the World Cup warm-up games, in addition to Ireland's summer tour Down Under, but made his comeback playing for Munster in a friendly against Leinster on Friday and is fast-tracked back into the international squad.

Jonathan Bell is the beneficiary of Henderson's absence but O'Sullivan will travel with just one specialist full-back Girvan Dempsey, who will be restored to the number 15 jersey following the loss of Geordan Murphy.

In the forwards, Munster flanker David Wallace is the surprise omission, with Llanelli's Simon Easterby getting the vote in the fiercely-contested battle for back-row spots.

Simon Best, of Ulster, is chosen as the fourth prop ahead of Emmet Byrne, while the experienced Gary Longwell pips Leo Cullen for the fourth lock place.

Byrne, Leo Cullen and Wallace are all included in a 14-strong shadow squad which will be on stand-by.

Speaking this morning, O'Sullivan said: "In spite of some untimely injuries to Geordan Murphy and Rob Henderson, I am happy that we have a particularly strong squad with a good mix of experience and skill.

"This is borne out by the fact that difficult decisions had to be made in the selections of many positions.

"We have now taken the first formal step in the road to Rugby World Cup 2003 by naming the squad and we know we do so with the full support of the Irish public."

Ireland Squad

Backs: Girvan Dempsey, Anthony Horgan, Shane Horgan, John Kelly, Denis Hickie, Brian O'Driscoll, Kevin Maggs, Jonathan Bell, David Humphreys, Ronan O'Gara, Peter Stringer, Guy Easterby, Neil Doak.

Forwards: Reggie Corrigan, Marcus Horan, John Hayes, Simon Best, Keith Wood, Shane Byrne, Frankie Sheahan, Malcolm O'Kelly, Gary Longwell, Paul O'Connell, Donnacha O'Callaghan, Simon Easterby, Victor Costello, Eric Miller, Keith Gleeson, Alan Quinlan, Anthony Foley