Wilkinson Gets Ireland Call Up

Brett Wilkinson image: irishrugby.ie

CONNACHT prop Brett Wilkinson was named in Declan Kidney's 32 man panel training panel today ahead of Sunday's opening Six Nations clash with Wales. He is one of four uncapped players who featured for the Irish Wolfhounds on Saturday whom Declan Kidney has brought into the squad for training this week.

Kidney was in Exeter on Saturday evening to cast a discerning eye over the Irish hopefuls and despite the weightier English scrum proving superior to the Wolfhounds, the Irish coach was suitably impressed with Connacht’s loose head prop to call him into the senior training panel.

The 28 year old Galwegians man moved to Connacht in 2005 and has played over 100 times for the province. He earned his first call up to an Ireland squad for the Autumn internationals in November 2009 but didn’t play. During that Autumn series he earned his first Ireland A cap and enjoyed the perfect debut, scoring a try. Wilkinson was also called into the Ireland squad for the 2010 November internationals to provide cover for Marcus Horan.

Wilkinson was born in South Africa and starred for the University of Cape Town before taking up a professional contract with Connacht. He is qualified to play for Ireland through the residency rule.

The other players hoping for the chance to earn their first full Ireland caps at the weekend are Leinster’s Dave Kearney, who joins his brother Rob in the panel. Their Leinster team mate Eoin O’Malley has also earned a call up along with Simon Zebo, who launched himself into the public consciousness with three tries for Munster against Northampton in the Heineken Cup last week.

Kidney will whittle the 32 man squad down to the match day 22 and announce his decision at lunchtime on Wednesday. Wilkinson and the other players called up today have a race against time to prove to the Irish coach that they are worthy of a place in the squad to take on Wale