IRELAND A: The disruption endured by the senior national side through injuries and illness to Malcolm O'Kelly, Keith Wood, Shane Horgan and Eric Miller has filtered through to the A side, with several personnel called up for duty at Lansdowne Road today.
New Ireland A coach, the Leinster supremo Matt Williams, will have to get used to minimum preparation and frequent disruption. It made the acievements of previous coach Declan Kidney all the more laudable. Williams is assisted by Ulster's Mark McCall, with Joe Miles acting as team manager.
The game will provide an opportunity to again assess the progress of several young players, notably the performances of Ulster full back Paddy Wallace, Leinster's right wing Gordon D'Arcy and scrumhalf Neil Doak. Wallace may prefer the outhalf role but given the presence of David Humphreys there for Ulster, has had to content himself with the full back berth.
It is a measure of Wallace's ability that Ulster coach Alan Solomons considered playing him out of position. D'Arcy too would much prefer the roaming brief of full back, but having played all season for Leinster on the wing, that is where he is chosen. Continuing the theme, Munster's right wing John Kelly has been asked to play in the centre, with only Mike Mullins and Tyrone Howe occupying their natural positions in the three-quarter line.
Paul Burke has been in excellent form for Harlequins, while Doak's career has taken off once again this season.
Up front, Reggie Corrigan and Jeremy Davidson will try to remind the selectors that they have a role to play at the higher level, while Ulster front row duo Paul Shields and Simon Best have the opportunity to enhance their reputations.
Leo Cullen would cherish a big game to reinforce his promise in the second row.
Ireland also appear very strong in the back row and much will be expected of Alan Quinlan, Victor Costello and Andy Ward.
Wales offer a mixture of youth and experience, the latter quality manifest in the presence of Gareth Thomas in the centre and Lee Jarvis (26), at outhalf.
Jarvis's place-kicking could punish Ireland dearly. Promising Bath scrumhalf Gareth Cooper, along with diminutive left wing Shane Williams, are probably the pick of the back line.
Up front, the Welsh selectors have opted for the experienced Gareth Llewellyn and New Zealand-born Mike Voyle in the second row, with youngsters Alex Popham and Gareth Thomas in the back row.
It will be interesting to note how Ireland opt to play under their new coaching regime. One suspects that, conditions permitting, the ball should see plenty of air.
IRELAND: P Wallace (Ulster); G D'Arcy (Leinster), M Mullins (Munster), J Kelly (Munster), T Howe (Ulster); P Burke (Harlequins), N Doak (Ulster); R Corrigan (Leinster, capt), P Shields (Ulster), S Best (Ulster); L Cullen (Leinster), J Davidson (Ulster) ; A Quinlan (Munster), V Costello (Leinster), A Ward (Ulster). Replacements: G Hickie (Leinster), M Horan (Munster), M O'Driscoll (Munster), T McWhirter (Ulster), B Willis (Leinster), J Holland (Munster), A Horgan (Munster).
WALES: A Durston (Bridgend); G Wyatt (Pontypridd), T Shanklin (Saracens), G Thomas (Bridgend), S Williams (Neath); L Jarvis (Neath), G Cooper (Bath); I Thomas (Ebbw Vale), M Davis (Pontypridd, capt), A Millward (Neath); M Voyle (Newport), G Llewellyn ( Neath); A Popham (Newport), G Thomas (Bath), G Lewis (Swansea). Replacements: G Williams (Bridgend), M Madden (Llanelli), D Jones (Bridgend), N Thomas (Bath), A Moore (Neath), C Warlow (Bridgend), MJ Watkins (Newport).
