Nine Munster players in Ireland squad.

Tony Buckley is among nine Munster players named today in the Ireland squad (22)for the RBS Six Nations opener against Italy in Croke Park on Saturday week.

Forwards (12): Rory Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster); Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster); Simon Easterby (Llanelli); John Hayes (Bruff/Munster); Jamie Heaslip (Clontarf/Leinster); Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster); Bernard Jackman (Clontarf/Leinster); Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster); Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster); Mick O’Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster); Malcolm O’Kelly (St.Mary’s College/Leinster); David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster);  

Backs (10): Girvan Dempsey (Terenure College/Leinster); Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster); Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster); Geordan Murphy (Leicester); Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster); Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster); Eoin Reddan (Wasps); Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster); Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster); Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster).