Robert Casey (Blackrock College), Jeremy Staunton (Garryowen) and Ciaran Scally (Blackrock College), all of whom were on the senior tour to Australia have been named in the Ireland Under21 squad for an eight-nation tournament in Argentina next month.
Warren Gatland has released the players to travel to South America but will not allow Blackrock College centre Brian O'Driscoll to join his underage teammates. The 20-year-old O'Driscoll was outstanding in Australia and it is hardly surprising that Gatland favours wrapping his latest asset in cotton wool.
The former UCD player has been dogged by a number of injuries and is now resting after his Australian adventure. O'Driscoll is assured of a place in Ireland's World Cup squad and therefore common sense dictates that a holiday rather than participating in what will be a very competitive tournament in Argentina is preferential.
The presence of Casey, Staunton and Scally is a huge boost to the Under-21 team who have already had to plan without five first choice players, who are deemed overage for this tournament under a January 1st ruling.
Scrum-half Peter Stringer, props Marcus Horan and John Campbell, hooker Peter Smyth and flanker Richard Woods were an integral part of an Ireland team that beat England, France, Scotland and Italy last season, only losing to Wales. Squad members John Fogarty (hooker) and James Ferris (scrum-half) are also overage while Ireland A fullback Gordon D'Arcy has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Fortunately for coach Brian McLaughlin the depth of talent at this level is impressive. A international Shane Horgan returns to the Under-21 set-up and his presence alongside David Quinlan and Kevin Hartigan should help to offset the loss of O'Driscoll. Four out-halves have been named, Andy Dunne, Mark McHugh, Bryn Cunningham and Staunton but McHugh can also play in the centre.
Scally's availability and that of London Irish's Kieran Campbell, the latter scrum-half on the 1998 Under-19 World Cup winning team, ensure that Ireland will be very strong at halfback. Prop Andy O'Brien, hooker Adrian Flavin and flanker Aidan Kearney played an integral part in that World Cup success and they have been added to the squad which participated in the Under-21 Six Nations Championship.
The absence of Horan and Campbell means that mobile Newcastle prop Simon Best and Terenure's South African born Steve Baretto will shoulder extra responsibility. Blackrock's Niall Treston and O'Brien ostensibly provide the back-up. Newcomers in the back five include this season's Under-19 captain Des Dillon, Dungannon's former Irish Schools flanker Andrew Hughes and Michael Haslett of Instonians, a son of former Ireland A coach Davy.
Philip Rainey (manager), Gerry Murphy (assistant coach) and Kurt McQuilkin (technical adviser) were unable to travel so Eddie Wigglesworth, Hendrik Kruger and Mark McDermott fulfil the respective vacant positions.
Ireland is grouped with France, Argentina and New Zealand whom they play in that order and will play two further matches. The other pool contains England, Wales, South Africa and Australia with the top four teams, two from each pool, meeting in the semifinals and the other four countries vying for fifth to eighth places.
