Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan today announced a 35 man training squad ahead of this season’s Six Nations which kicks off in February. Included in the squad is Gordon D’Arcy who missed out on the Autumn Internationals due to a groin injury.
Munster and Ireland out-half Ronan O’Gara has been ruled out of Munster’s final two Heineken Cup group games due to breaking a bone in his hand during last nights Celtic League victory over Leinster.
Eddie O’Sullivan has been named Philip’s Sports Manager of the Year award based on Ireland’s impressive achievements this year.
Ireland’s young Sevens side made the final of the Dubai Seven’s Shield, but in the end they lost the final to Tunisia.
Ireland’s young team at the Dubai Sevens have finished in third place in their pool after today’s three matches. Ireland lost to Fiji, lost to South Africa having led at half time, and managed a draw agains Portugal.
With Eddie O’Sullivan having recently said that it would be beneficial for the ‘A’ Internationals to return, it’s been announced that Ireland ‘A’ will play the French on in Donnybrook on Friday, March 11th 2005 at 7.00pm. This will be the first outing for the Ireland A team since 2003 when they played England A in Donnybrook in March.
A late, late drop goal from Ronan O’Gara gave Ireland the victory in an extremely hard fought encounter with Argentina at Landsdowne Road. O’Gara’s drop goal seconds from the end, put Ireland into a lead for the first time in the match, and cruely denied the Argentinians a victory many would think they deserved.
Following last weekend’s developmental selection for the match against the USA, Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan has reverted to the team that beat South Africa for this weekend’s match against Argentina.
In a dark and dreary conditions in Landsdowne Road this afternoon, Ireland’s second string team, saw off the US with a 55 points to 6 victory over the visitors. Ireland were very poor especially in the first half, which they only won by 13 points to 6. The US managed to keep them in touch until Ireland began to pull away in the second half.
Having opted out of the IRB Sevens tournaments last year, this year Ireland have chosen a very youthful side to travel to Dubai to take part in the first of this year’s tournaments. The squad contains a number of Ireland’s impressive U-21 side and some of the up and coming stars of the provinces also.