O'Sullivan keeping his options open

Eddie O'Sullivan says there will be a host of World Cup places up for grabs when his much-changed Ireland team take on Italy in Limerick today.

The national coach, who has retained just 12 players from the side that comfortably beat Wales in the first of three warm-up internationals a fortnight ago, insisted yesterday there is everything to play for at Thomond Park. "A lot of people feel I'm down to the last two or three, which is far from the truth," he said. "We have phenomenal competition for our second row and back row and there is a lot of competition in the outside backs.

"I've kept an open mind because I don't see the point in making these decisions until I've gathered as much information as I can, particularly when the decisions in some positions are going to be minuscule between a guy going and not going. I haven't really laid down that many spots, apart from the certainties like the O'Driscolls and the Woods.

"The game is very important for a lot of guys, because they haven't played against Wales and they may not play against Scotland."

With Keith Wood rested, Lions centre Brian O'Driscoll will captain Ireland for the ninth time, winning his 40th cap.

O'Sullivan will have a final opportunity to run the rule over fringe candidates in Edinburgh next Saturday before naming his 30-strong World Cup squad the following day.

"Because of injuries in the last 21 months of my tenure, we've built up a fair bit of experience in the squad," he added. "Injuries are a dreadful nuisance, but you can use them to your advantage by giving other players opportunities."

Italy coach John Kirwan has also rung the changes following his side's 47-15 defeat by the Scots last Saturday, but includes only one new cap in Parma winger Diego Sacca. He was forced to make a late change, however, with Cristian Stoica taking over in the centre while scrum-half Juan Manuel Queirolo was ruled out because of a thigh problem.

Ireland: Dempsey (Leinster); Kelly (Munster), O'Driscoll (Leinster, capt), Henderson (Munster), Hickie (Leinster); Humphreys (Ulster), G Easterby (Rotherham); Horan (Munster), Byrne (Leinster), Corrigan (Leinster), Longwell (Ulster), Cullen (Leinster), S Easterby (Llanelli), Miller (Leinster), Costello (Leinster). Replacements: Shields (Ulster), Fitzpatrick (Castres), O'Callaghan (Munster), Dawson (London Irish), O'Meara (Leinster), Murphy (Leicester), Bell (Ulster).

Italy: Peens; Mazzucato, Stoica, Barbini, Sacca; Mazzariol, Troncon (capt); Lo Cicero, Ongaro, Castrogiovanni, Bezzi, Giacheri, De Rossi, Mauro Bergamasco, Parisse. Replacements: Festuccia, Martinez, Persico, Phillips, Mazzantini, Pez, Masi.

Referee: Steve Lander (England).