Brian O'Driscoll will captain the Ireland for the upcoming Guinness Series against Canada, New Zealand and Argentina after coach Declan Kidney today named a squad of 41-man squad. Ireland get their autumn internationals under way against Canada at Thomond Park on November 8th before they take on New Zealand and Argentina in Croke Park on November 15th and 22nd respectively.
O'Driscoll, 29, captains the 41-man squad who will gather for a week's training in Limerick from Monday. O'Driscoll has 85 caps for Ireland and has been captain for almost half of those.
After the training camp the squad will be reduced to around 30 players before Kidney names the match day 22 ahead of the Canada game.
"I am delighted that Brian has agreed to captain the squad for the Guinness Series," said Kidney. "I have also opted to name a bigger squad than originally anticipated so that we can continue to familiarise a largely new-look backroom staff with a wider group of players.
Kidney has included Bob Casey and Mike Ross who ply their trade in the Guinness Premiership at London Irish and Harlequins respectively and were both members of last year's Churchill Cup squad.
Exiles captain Casey has a big reputation in England but was overlooked by Eddie O'Sullivan, making the last of his five appearances against Canada in June 2000.
Ross has yet to feature for the senior side but made 30 appearances for 'Quins last year.
Also included is backrower Roger Wilson of the Northampton Saints. The former Ulster players has just one cap to his name, which came against Japan three years ago, but he has featured seven times for his new club in his short career there.
There will be fierce competition among the scrumhalves, with three selected in the shape of Munster duo Tomas O'Leary and Peter Stringer, as well as Wasps' Eoin Reddan.
O'Leary has just one cap to his name but, like Reddan in the international set-up of late, has been keeping the vastly more experienced Stringer out of the Munster side in the big games.
At outhalf, the opportunity has been given to Jonathan Sexton to prove he is worth a look as back up to Ronan O'Gara, while Ulster's Paddy Wallace will also be looking to fill that vacancy.
Denis Hurley will be disappointed to miss out on such a large squad given his success under Kidney at Munster, but there is a place for the freescoring Keith Earls who has replaced him at fullback for the European champions.
There will be very little bedding in time, however, and Kidney is sure to pick players on form rather than with a view to the future, given the importance of the games ahead of the World Cup draw.
"Our games assume additional importance this year considering their significance as regards our seeding position going into the World Cup 2011 draw being made in December," said the coach today.
"We are currently ranked eighth - just ahead of Scotland - so the fact that it is paramount to at least maintain a top eight ranking, underlines the additional importance of our results against Canada, New Zealand and Argentina."
Ireland Squad
Backs: T Bowe; I Dowling, G Dempsey, G Duffy; K Earls, L Fitzgerald, S Horgan; R Kearney, G Murphy, B Murphy; B O'Driscoll (C), R O'Gara, T O'Leary, E Reddan; J Sexton, P Stringer, A Trimble, P Wallace.
Forwards: R Best; T Buckley, R Caldwell, B Casey, T Court; S Ferris, J Flannery, J Hayes; C Healy, J Heaslip, M Horan, B Jackman; S Jennings, D Leamy, D O'Callaghan; P O'Connell, M O'Kelly, M O'Driscoll, A Quinlan; M Ross, D Ryan, D Wallace, R Wilson.
