IRELAND's 30-17 victory over Wales in the International Championship last Saturday, is reflected in last night's decision by the selectors to name an unchanged team for the match against England at Twickenham next Saturday.
This is the first time this season that the selectors have opted for an unchanged line up. And once the fitness doubts about centre Jonathan Bell were resolved - he was hit by a heavy cold earlier in the week - the selectors decision was now unexpected.
There is one alteration in the replacements and that is enforced. With Kurt McQuilkin out for the rest of the season because of a chipped elbow, Mark McCall is brought in. He won the last of his three caps against Wales two years ago. He has not figured in the squad, nor has he been selected for the A side this season, despite impressive displays for Ulster.
There are two changes in the A side to meet England at Richmond on Friday. Jim Staples, who captained Ireland in the matches against Fiji, United States, Scotland and France and was ruled out of contention for the match against Wales because of concussion, is named at full back and Shane Byrne is chosen at hooker.
The men to lose out are Conor O'Shea and Paul Cunningham. Byrne was not available for the A match against Wales because of an ankle injury. With Simon Mason having made such an impressive debut for the senior side, against Wales, there was no way back into the championship team for Staples. His selection on the A side seems something of a consolation prize and is hard on O'Shea.
Ireland manager Pat Whelan said: "We examined every position and the strengths and weaknesses revealed against Wales. It took us a couple of hours to come to our decision. We took the var ions problems likely to be posed by England into consideration and having looked at the overall picture, and the fast that, we were pleased with our first win in the championship we decided to go for an unchanged side.
"We looked at the line out and the fact that England are strong in that area. We also considered very carefully the ability of their very experienced centre partnership, because we showed some defensive weakness in the centre of the pitch against Wales. But having discussed it, we decided that these are areas we can cover in terms of the training."
The manager said they were not influenced in their selection by the announcement earlier in the day of the England team. The side will train twice today at Lansdowne Road and again tomorrow morning. The A team will also train today and will have two sessions tomorrow, because three of the 21 will be absent today as they are playing for London Irish.
Only four of the side played in the 13-12 win over England in Twickenham two years ago. They are Simon Geoghegan, Maurice Field, Nick Popplewell, and Denis McBride.
The England management yesterday followed an expected course when they named an unchanged side from the match against Scotland.
Once prop forward Jason Leon ard was cleared of foul play after being cited by Scotland for an alleged punch on Rob Wainwright, during the match at Murrayfield last Saturday, the indications were that manager Jack Rowell, would go for an unaltered line up. It is the first time since the semi final of the World Cup that England have gone unchanged. But this is a much altered line up from the World Cup and the championship last season.
The selectors have opted not to, bring back Martin Bayfield and, have retained the youthful Gareth Archer in the second row. He is one of six newcomers introduced during the championship. The others are John Sleightholme on the wing, the half backs Paul Grayson and Matthew Dawson, hooker Martin Regan and flanker Lawrence Dallaglio.
. Neil Jenkins will become Wales most capped out half when he lines up against France in Cardiff on March 16th, The Pontypridd player, who will be making his 30th appearance at, out half, has been recalled to the team at the expense of Bristol's Arwel Thomas in one of three changes to the side that lost to Ireland last weekend.
The other two changes see Gareth Thomas of Bridgend take over from Llanelli's Wayne Proctor on the left wing and Swansea's loose head prop Christian Loader coming in for Andrew Lewis.
