Sun 15th Nov 'O9;; 15:00;; Friendly;; Ireland v Australia;; Croke Park..

Sat 21st Nov 'O9;; 17:15;; Friendly;; Ireland v Fiji;; Royal Dublin Society..

Sat 28th Nov 'O9;; 14:30;; Friendly;; Ireland v South Africa;; Croke Park..

Sat 6th Feb '1O;; 14:30;; 6N;; Ireland v Italy;; Croke Park..

Sat 13th Feb '1O;; 17:30;; 6N;; France v Ireland;; Stade de France..

Sat 27th Feb '1O;; 16:00;; 6N;; England v Ireland ;; Twickenham..

Sat 13th Mar '1O;; 14:30;; 6N;; Ireland v Wales;; Croke Park..

Sat 20th Mar '1O;; 17:00;; 6N;; Ireland v Scotland;; Croke Park..


*6N = 6 Nations..

A 34-man panel has been announced for the final Ireland training camp to take place in Dublin from September 14 to 15. The camp is the third and final one of three scheduled Ireland squad sessions during July, August and September!! ..

The squad is split into 20 forwards and 14 backs, contains six uncapped players and sees Leinster duo Bernard Jackman and Eoin Reddan included for the first time this season.
There are are six uncapped players named in the squad - Leinster tyros Cian Healy, Devin Toner, Jonathan Sexton and Fergus McFadden and Connacht front rowers Brett Wilkinson and Sean Cronin..

Commenting on the training camp, Ireland coach Declan Kidney said: "The two camps that we have had have been hugely beneficial in terms of continuing the work from last season and preparing for the year ahead in what will certainly be a big challenge for the squad.

"We set out to maintain the building process of a panel based on the summer tours as well as that already knew about the players.

"The next time we meet as a squad will be November, so hopefully the players can produce good form so that the foundations laid now will benefit us at that point."

IRELAND Squad (Training Camp, Dublin, September 2009):


Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)
Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)*
Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster)
John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)*
Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)
Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster)
Shane Horgan (Boyne/Leinster)
Bernard Jackman (Clontarf/Leinster)
Shane Jennings (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Fergus McFadden (UCD/Leinster)*
Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
Mick O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster)
Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster)
Eoin Reddan (Old Crescent/Leinster)
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)*
Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)*
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
Brett Wilkinson (Galwegians/Connacht)*

* Denotes uncapped

Grand Slam-winning coach Declan Kidney took the opportunity to blood some new players in Vancouver, including Mike Ross and Ryan Caldwell off the replacements bench.

In sunny and humid conditions, a crowd of 7,280 watched the Irish grind out a hard-fought win which was not certain until the final quarter when newcomer Ian Whitten and giant prop Tony Buckley scored tries.

Showing an improvement from their 55-0 November defeat in Limerick, Canada remained in contention until the 63rd minute when centre Whitten, the youngest of Ireland’s first-timers at 21, burst through for their second try.

Man-of-the-match Ian Keatley, who grew into his role at number 10 and slotted some impressive place-kicks, added the conversion for a 20-6 lead and there was no way back for the hosts.

Certainly the short preparation time and personnel changes played a part in the tourists failing to catch fire, but tour captain Rory Best and his team-mates will not wish to dwell on an off-colour display.

With most of their Grand Slam squad otherwise engaged with the Lions and Leinster, Ireland were a much-changed outfit and Buckley was the only survivor from the big win over Canada at Thomond Park.

Canada, building for July’s Rugby World Cup qualifiers against the USA, gave flanker Chauncey O’Toole a first cap and the hosts were definitely keen in impress in their first Test since the autumn.

Keatley was off target with his first penalty attempt and while the early exchanges were pretty physical, neither side could get themselves out of first gear and play was blighted by handling errors and lacklustre attacks.

Big Canadian wingers DTH van der Merwe and Dean van Camp looked dangerous whenever the ball came their way, but the home side lacked a clinical edge.

Ireland’s first try, on 18 minutes, came out of nothing. Keatley hoisted up a garryowen, Canada failed to deal with it and the ball broke for another debutant Darren Cave to chip to the right corner for Barry Murphy to gather and touch down.

It was Murphy's first Test try in his second senior appearance and the Limerick man put in a solid shift on the right wing.

Keatley converted but Ireland continued to lack fluidity and the Kieran Crowley-coached Canucks were making them work hard for their possession.

Canadian full-back James Pritchard made it 7-3 for half-time with a pinpoint penalty after good work from the forwards and busy scrum half Ed Fairhurst.

Canada had a number of UK-based players in their squad, including Glasgow prop Kevin Tkachuk, and they looked the better side during the opening stages of the second half.

With Ireland struggling for decent possession and territory, Pritchard made it a one-point game after Ian Dowling was pinged for not rolling away in the tackle.

Ireland’s last visit to Canada, back in 2000 when Bob Casey won his most recent cap before this game, saw them struggle to a 27-27 draw.

But Canada’s hopes of a shock result were left dangling after Keatley kicked two penalties around the hour mark - the second after Canadian flanker Adam Kleeberger was sin-binned for killing ruck ball.

Warming to the task, the Irish started to click and three minutes later they turned defence into attack to score a length-of-the-field breakaway try.

Van der Merwe lacked support after a surging break through the midfield and Ireland ran the ball back with purpose.

Caldwell galloped forward out of the 22, Niall Ronan then countered and dummied his way into the Canadian half before Cave’s delayed pass put Whitten over in the corner.

Keatley added the extras and Ireland snuffed out their final try, 11 minutes from the end.

Mick O'Driscoll was stopped just short of the line before a quick feed from Peter Stringer saw Buckley squeeze over from close range.

Other try-scoring chances were missed as the Canadians tired. Whitten knocked on with the line just metres out and lively replacement Eoin Reddan sparked a late push