The reduced squad of 22 from which the Ireland team to play Italy in the RBS Six Nations Championship at Lansdowne Road on March 20, will be named later this week.

The team to play Italy will be announced at City West Hotel, Banqueting Centre on Tuesday, March 16 at 12.45 pm., following training at Naas rugby club, which will be open to the Media from 11.15 am.

The Ireland squad of 31 is:

Forwards:

Simon Best (Ulster - Belfast Harlequins) Shane Byrne (Leinster – Blackrock College), Reggie Corrigan (Leinster – Greystones), Victor Costello (Leinster – St. Mary’s College), Simon Easterby (Llanelli), Anthony Foley (Munster – Shannon), Keith Gleeson (Leinster – St. Mary’s College), John Hayes (Munster – Shannon), Marcus Horan (Munster – Shannon), Bernard Jackman (Connacht – Clontarf), Gary Longwell (Ulster – Ballymena), Donncha O’ Callaghan (Munster - Cork Constitution), Paul O’Connell (Munster – Young Munster), Malcolm O’Kelly (Leinster – St. Mary’s College), Frank Sheahan (Munster – Cork Constitution), David Wallace (Garryowen – Munster).

Backs:

Gordon D’Arcy (Leinster – Lansdowne), Neil Doak (Ulster – Belfast Harlequins), Girvan Dempsey (Leinster – Terenure College), Guy Easterby (Rotherham), Shane Horgan (Leinster – Lansdowne), Tyrone Howe (Ulster – Dungannon), David Humphreys (Ulster – Dungannon), John Kelly (Munster - Cork Constitution), Kevin Maggs (Bath), Geordan Murphy (Leicester), Brian O’ Driscoll (Leinster – Blackrock College), Ronan O’Gara (Munster – Cork Constitution), Peter Stringer (Munster – Shannon), Paddy Wallace (Ulster – Ballymena), Darren Yapp (Connacht – Buccaneers).

Not considered due to injury:

Gavin Duffy (Harlequins), Denis Hickie (Leinster - St. Mary’s College), Rob Henderson (Munster – Garryowen), Anthony Horgan (Munster – Cork Constitution), Eric Miller (Leinster – Terenure College), Mike Mullins (Munster – Old Crescent), Alan Quinlan (Munster – Shannon), David Quinlan (Leinster – Blackrock College).