O’Kelly To Captain ‘A’ Team

A fit-again Malcolm O’Kelly will captain the Ireland ‘A’ team against England Saxons at Ravenhill on Friday night.

O’Kelly, recovered from a knee injury that saw him ruled out of contention for Ireland’s RBS 6 Nations opener against Wales, will skipper an ‘A’ side that contains some very experienced players up front and some of Irish rugby’s brightest new talents in the back line.

Frankie Sheahan and Keith Gleeson help to anchor the pack with their experience alongside the likes of Bryan Young and Stephen Ferris. The only uncapped player in the pack is UCD and Leinster prop Ronnie McCormack.

The back line, by contrast, has only nine caps between them, and eight of those belong to Tommy Bowe. It is still a very exciting line-up and includes Danny Riordan of Galwegians and Connacht at full-back , while Kieran Lewis and Barry Murphy form the midfield partnership.

Ian Humphreys starts at out-half while Buccanneers and Connacht scrum half Conor O’Loughlin is his link man.

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IRELAND ‘A’ TEAM AND REPLACEMENTS (v England Saxons, Ravenhill, Friday, February 9, 7.45pm):

Player / Club / Senior Caps

15 – Danny Riordan Buccaneers/Connacht 0

14 – Tommy Bowe Belfast Harlequins 8

13 – Barry Murphy UL Bohemians/Munster  0

12 – Kieran Lewis  St. Mary’s College/Leinster 1

11 – Rob Kearney UCD/Leinster 0

10 – Ian Humphreys Leicester 0

9 – Conor O’Loughlin Buccaneers/Conncacht 0

1 – Ronnie McCormack UCD/Leinster 0

2 – Frankie Sheahan Cork Constitution/Munster 27

3 – Bryan Young Ballymena/Ulster 5

4 – Trevor Hogan  Shannon/Leinster 2

5 – Malcolm O’Kelly (captain) St.Mary’s College/Leinster 83

6 – Stephen Ferris Dungannon/Ulster 1

7 – Keith Gleeson  St. Mary’s College/Leinster 24

8 – Roger Wilson Belfast Harlequins/Ulster 1

 

Replacements:

16 – Bernard Jackman Clontarf/Leinster  2

17 – Peter Bracken  Wasps  0

18 – Leo Cullen Leicester 18

19 – Shane Jennings Leicester  0

20 – Kieran Campbell Dungannon/Ulster 3

21 – Jonathan Sexton St. Mary’s College/Leinster  0

22 – John Hearty Galwegians/Connacht  0

 

Not considered due to injury:

Ray Hogan (Galwegians/Connacht), Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster), Jeremy Staunton (Wasps), David Quinlan (Northampton)