The return of Jonathan Bell of Ulster and the omission of Leinster's Trevor Brennan were the main talking points when coach Warren Gatland named a 25-man squad for Ireland's Test match against Samoa at Lansdowne Road on Sunday week. The actual team will be announced on Tuesday.
Bell is included to provide cover at centre and suggests Gatland is planning to rest Brian O'Driscoll, ahead of the game against New Zealand the following Saturday.
"We were just looking at covering our options at centre with Jonathan Bell," said Gatland. "If we were to rest Brian (O'Driscoll) and play Mike Mullins and Kevin Maggs then we need cover on the bench. We are not sure about Girvan's (Dempsey) Achilles tendon so we have planned accordingly."
He was referring to the inclusion of both Gordon D'Arcy and Jeremy Staunton.
He conceded that Denis Hickie's shoulder may also require a rest - he plays for Leinster tomorrow night - and so he wants to keep his options open.
The Irish coach accepted Brennan had been unlucky to miss out. "It's very hard on Trevor. He is a charismatic figure within the squad and has done a great job in the two matches when coming on. We still have to be fair to Gary (Longwell) who was an original choice before breaking his finger. It is about consistency of selection."
Brennan may have to content himself with a place in the Ireland A squad who take on the All Blacks at Ravenhill on Tuesday, November 13th.
Longwell's return is the only change in the forwards panel that was on duty for the England match. Bell, D'Arcy and Staunton are added to the backline options.
Captain Keith Wood, O'Driscoll and possibly Peter Clohessy and Girvan Dempsey - the latter due to injury concerns - may be rested to provide starting opportunities for Frankie Sheahan, Mike Mullins and Emmet Byrne.
Samoa represent a tough, physical challenge and few will need reminding of their last visit to Ireland when they beat their hosts 40-25 at Lansdowne Road in 1996. They may be without about 10 first-choice players but still pose an obvious threat. Gatland wants to build upon the brace of victories over Wales and England and to do so requires a victory.
"There is that physical aspect to their game that we would be a little concerned about. It's important that we keep going forward after the recent matches and with the New Zealand game to come afterwards."
Gatland will be at Donnybrook on Sunday to watch the Ireland Development XV take on a Samoan team that should bear a strong resemblance to their test line-up.
Meanwhile, the IRFU and Kellogg's Frosties have teamed up to launch Frosties Rugby Youth Development Programme, a project embraces the involvement of 76 union youth development officers liaising with a potential 430 schools around Ireland in a 26-week programme, from September to Easter. The aim is to introduce schoolchildren from under 8s to 15 years to rugby.
The programme offers a phased introduction through Tag and Mini-Leprechaun Rugby to the full contact 15-a-side game.
The programme will have the following provincial breakdown: Ulster: 11,000 children, 100 schools, 16 youth development officers; Leinster: 12,000 children, 120 schools, 26 y.d.o's; Munster: 9,000 children, 110 schools, 15 y.d.o's.; Connacht: 6,000 children, 80 schools, 19 y.d.o's.
Full-back Iain Balshaw, hooker Phil Greening and lock Simon Shaw have all been dropped from the England squad for next week's Twickenham clash against world champions Australia.
Flanker Martin Corry, who missed Leicester's Heineken Cup appointment with Perpignan on Saturday because of hamstring trouble, also fails to make a 26-man squad.
Corry's Tigers team-mate Neil Back will captain England, with Martin Johnson sidelined through a broken hand. Woodward has selected three uncapped players - New Zealand-born rugby league convert Henry Paul, 20-year-old Sale fly-half Charlie Hodgson and Northampton hooker Steve Thompson.
IRELAND SQUAD: G Dempsey, G D'Arcy, J Staunton, J Bell, S Horgan, M Mullins, K Maggs, B O'Driscoll, D Hickie, D Humphreys, R O'Gara, P Stringer, G Easterby, P Clohessy, K Wood, F Sheahan, J Hayes, E Byrne, M Galwey, G Longwell, M O'Kelly, E Miller, A Foley, D Wallace, K Dawson.
England (possible) v Australia: M Perry; D Luger, W Greenwood, M Catt, J Robinson; J Wilkinson, A Healey; G Rowntree, D West, P Vickery, S Borthwick, D Grewcock, L Moody, N Back (capt), R Hill
