Ireland omit Wallace
ByReuters
Published 07/09/2003 at 12:10 GMT
Flanker David Wallace has been omitted from Ireland's World Cup squad despite scoring a try against Scotland on Saturday. Girvan Dempsey was the only specialist fullback named on Sunday after Geordan Murphy was carried off the field with a broken leg in S
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Anthony Horgan and Shane Horgan are both named on the wing along with John Kelly and Ireland international try record holder Denis Hickie.
O'Sulllivan told a news conference Hickie, flyhalf David Humphreys and centre Brian O'Driscoll would provide the cover for Dempsey.
"There were some very disappointed players this morning, but, in fairness to them, they took it on the chin," he said. "It's one thing telling a player you're leaving him out of a test match. When you tell him he's not going to the rugby World Cup, it's harrowing.
PARTICULARLY DEVASTATING
"It's also particularly disappointing for Geordan. I think he was in shock. He's devastated," he said. "This stage is meant for players like him. He could have been one of the best, if not the best player at the World Cup."
O'Sullivan said he was happy with the squad.
"When I look at a squad, I look for a gut feeling to see if I've got it right. I have that feeling and...I feel very happy indeed.
"Our goal now is to qualify for the quarter-finals. Everyone knows we're in the group of death with Australia and Argentina. If we can get out of our group, we're into a knockout situation and then anything can happen," he said.
Ireland travel to Bilbao on Tuesday for a week-long training camp.
SQUAD:
BACKS:Girvan Dempsey, Anthony Horgan, Shane Horgan, John Kelly, Denis Hickie, Brian O'Driscoll, Kevin Maggs, Jonathan Bell, David Humphreys, Ronan O'Gara, Peter Stringer, Guy Easterby, Neil Doak.
FORWARDS:Reggie Corrigan, Marcus Horan, John Hayes, Simon Best, Keith Wood, Shane Byrne, Frankie Sheahan, Malcolm O'Kelly, Gary Longwell, Paul O'Connell, Donnacha O'Callaghan, Simon Easterby, Victor Costello, Eric Miller, Keith Gleeson, Alan Quinlan, Anthony Foley
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