KEY POINTS:
DUBLIN - Ireland named a second string squad today for a two-test tour of Argentina, resting most of their first-choice players including captain Brian O'Driscoll and halfbacks Ronan O'Gara and Peter Stringer.
The Irish, who won the Triple Crown and finished a close second to France in the Six Nations championship this year, face the Pumas in Santa Fe on May 26 and Buenos Aires on June 2.
The Argentines, who meet Ireland in a Pool D match at the World Cup in France on Sept. 30, will also be shorn of most of their leading players for the series as they are tied up with their clubs in the final stages of the French championship.
"This tour was always about looking at options with the World Cup in mind," Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan told the Irish Rugby Union's website where the 30-man list, including seven uncapped players, was posted.
"It is an opportunity for players to put their cases forward for France and in doing so, allowed us to rest the majority of the Six Nations squad," he said.
"Argentina is always a tough place to tour and this will be no different. It gives us the chance to look at players in a pressurised test match environment and as well as some experienced players, there are also some new prospects there who will benefit from the experience."
Ireland and Argentina have met in key clashes with quarter-final berths at stake at the last two World Cups, the Pumas winning in 1999 and the Irish in 2003.
Squad:
Forwards: Neil Best, Simon Best (captain), Peter Bracken, Tony Buckley, Leo Cullen, Stephen Ferris, Jerry Flannery, Keith Gleeson, Jamie Heaslip, Trevor Hogan, Bernard Jackman, Shane Jennings, Mick O'Driscoll, Malcolm O'Kelly, Alan Quinlan, Frankie Sheahan, Bryan Young
Backs: Isaac Boss, Tommy Bowe, Brian Carney, Gavin Duffy, Robert Kearney, Kieran Lewis, Barry Murphy, Geordan Murphy, Tomas O'Leary, Eoin Reddan, Jeremy Staunton, Andrew Trimble, Paddy Wallace.
- REUTERS
