Wood returns for Ireland
March 14, 2002

Ireland captain Keith Wood is set to make his first Lloyds TSB Six Nations Championship appearance of the season against Italy on Saturday week.

The talismanic Harlequins hooker, who has not played for three months because of a calf injury, will make his comeback for his club against Newcastle on Saturday and was on Thursday included in the Irish 23-man squad.

But there was no place for veteran forward Mick Galwey, who has led Ireland in Wood's absence for the first three matches of the championship.

Galwey has paid the price for Ireland's weakness in the line-out and his place is likely to be taken by his Munster team-mate Paul O'Connell, who has missed the last two games through injury.

Ruled out because of injury were centres Kevin Maggs and Rob Henderson and winger Geordan Murphy.

Coach Eddie O'Sullivan will announce his line-up next Tuesday after monitoring the form of Woods and also that of John Hayes, Gary Longwell, Eric Miller, Ronan O'Gara and Frank Sheahan, who have all been given permission to play for their clubs this weekend.

Squad:

Forwards: S Byrne (Leinster), P Clohessy (Munster), S Easterby (Llanelli), A Foley (Munster), J Hayes (Munster), G Longwell (Ulster), E Miller (Leinster), P O'Connell (Munster), M O'Kelly (Leinster), F Sheahan (Munster), D Wallace (Munster), P Wallace (Leinster) K Wood (Harlequins).

Backs: G Dempsey (Leinster), G Easterby (Llanelli), D Hickie (Leinster), S Horgan (Leinster), T Howe (Ulster), D Humphreys (Ulster), J Kelly (Munster), B O'Driscoll (Leinster), R O'Gara (Munster), P Stringer (Munster).

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