Rugby – team news: Munster's hat-trick hero Simon Zebo could yet force his way in the Six Nations reckoning after being drafted into the Irish Wolfhounds squad to meet the England Saxons next weekend as cover for the unfortunate Luke Fitzgerald.
Zebo’s second half exploits against Northampton last weekend, where he breached the Saints defence on three occasions, provided a timely reminder to the Irish management of just what the winger can bring to the party. The 21-year-old had initially been included in the senior squad to gain experience but will now have the opportunity to stake his claim at Sandy Park in Exeter.
Fitzgerald, overlooked at the World Cup, is now a doubt for the early stages of the championship having failed to recover from a neck injury that has kept him sidelined in recent weeks. The Leinster star, who had been coming back to the boil nicely for his province, will miss the match against the Saxons and has also been ruled out of the Irish training camp in Limerick this week.
When naming the Wolfhounds squad last week, coach Declan Kidney made it clear that there was an opportunity for the fringe players to play their way into the Six Nations. With Fitzgerald seemingly out of the equation, the likes of Zebo is now very much in the picture.
“The Wolfhounds game gives myself and the other coaches one final chance to give games to players to see possible options before we settle on our match day 22 for the opening game (against Wales),” Kidney said. “It also gives us the opportunity to have a closer look in training at some of the younger players, rather than bringing in more experienced players, who are very much still in the frame for selection.”
Jack McGrath, Craig Gilroy and Fionn Carr join a revised Ireland training squad in place of Paddy McAllister, Zebo and Andrew Conway.
Matt Banahan and Delon Armitage feature in the England Saxons’ 25-man training squad named for Saturday’s clash. Winger Banahan and fullback Armitage both played in last year’s World Cup but must content themselves with a place among the second string, along with winger Ugo Monye and back-rower Thomas Waldrom.
Centre Matt Hopper, scrumhalf Paul Hodgson, prop Rupert Harden, lock Ed Slater and flanker Kearnan Myall are new additions to the squad. Hodgson and Harden are temporary injury replacements for Karl Dickson and Henry Thomas, while Hopper, Slater and Myall replace Henry Trinder, Geoff Parling and Dave Attwood, who are attending senior squad training in Leeds this week.
Hopper’s selection comes after just 11 first-team games for Harlequins. “This squad has got a great deal of longevity,” said England Saxons coach Jon Callard. “They’ve all got something to offer the national team, whether they’re coming down from the senior squad, they’ve been injured, or if they’re young players going up. Everyone’s got a contribution to make and it’s all about the future.”
Ireland Wolfhounds:S Archer (Munster), I Boss (Leinster), G Duffy (Connacht), C Henry (Ulster), D Hurley (Munster), D Kearney (Leinster), I Keatley (Munster), R Loughney (Connacht), I Madigan (Leinster), M McCarthy (Connacht), K McLaughlin (Leinster), J Muldoon (Connacht), T O'Leary (Munster), E O'Malley (Leinster), R Ruddock (Leinster), M Sherry (Munster), N Spence (Ulster), D Toner (Leinster), D Touhy (Ulster), D Varley (Munster), B Wilkinson (Connacht), S Zebo (Munster).
Ireland training squad:R Best (Ulster), T Bowe (Ospreys), T Court (Ulster), S Cronin (Leinster), L Cullen (Leinster), G D'Arcy (Leinster), K Earls (Munster), S Ferris (Ulster), C Healy (Leinster), J Heaslip (Leinster), S Jennings (Leinster), R Kearney (Leinster), F McFadden (Leinster), C Murray (Munster), S O'Brien (Leinster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), P O'Connell (Munster), R O'Gara (Munster), E Reddan (Leinster), M Ross (Leinster), D Ryan (Munster), J Sexton (Leinster), A Trimble (Ulster), P Wallace (Ulster).
Additional players for training camp:I Nagle (Munster), P O'Mahony (Munster), T O'Halloran (Connacht), J McGrath (Leinster), C Gilroy (Ulster), F Carr (Leinster).
