Rugby Union: Irish tourists call on caps

IRELAND have included 10 internationals in the team who play Western Australia in their opening tour match at Perth on Wednesday night. The team manager Frank Sowman said the side was a blend of experience and younger players.

He said he had no plan to allow for all the 30 players in the squad to get a game during the tourists' opening two matches. Several will now have to wait until the third match, against Australian Capital Territory at Canberra on Wednesday week, before earning a game.

Ireland will have to field their strongest team on Saturday, when they face mighty New South Wales in Sydney.

Western Australia contain no fewer than 11 New Zealanders in their team, among them Steve Bunce, the brother of the All Blacks centre, Frank.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA: R Smith; C Hamilton, D Hamilton, S Bunce, D Dunbar; T Fearn, M Ryburn; D Gleghorn, J O'Callaghan, R Walters, T Thomas, G Thompson, S Vitale, P Roberts (capt), J Te Pania.

IRELAND: C O'Shea (Lansdowne); S Geoghegan (London Irish), M Field (Malone), M Ridge (Blackrock College), J Staples (London Irish); E Elwood (Lansdowne), M Bradley (Cork Constitution, capt); J Fitzgerald (Young Munster), K Wood (Garryowen), P Clohessy (Young Munster), M Galwey (Shannon), J Davison (Dungannon), V Costello (St Mary's College), D Corkery (Constitution), P Johns (Dungannon). Replacements: B Walsh (Constitution), A McGowan, A Rolland (both Blackrock College), B Robinson (Ballymena), P Soden (Constitution), T Kingston (Dolphin).