O'Sullivan Brings Back Bishop

The Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan, playing down talk of a potential grand slam decider against England at Lansdowne Road on March 30, was looking only to the Wales match in Cardiff on Saturday when he named a side yesterday that showed three changes from the one that beat France at Lansdowne Road.

"I am thinking only of the game against Wales," said O'Sullivan, well aware that recent history is on Ireland's side; they have not lost in Cardiff for 20 years. "They will be desperate to beat us after three defeats this year and I have no doubt they believe they can beat us. All bets will be off at the Millennium Stadium and we cannot afford to be thinking about England.

"Wales pushed England all the way in their last home match and they will look upon Saturday as the chance to claim an overdue victory. They will lift their game against us and we are not taking anything for granted."

The two alterations at forward have been forced on the coach, with the lock Leo Cullen and flanker Alan Quinlan replacing the injured Gary Longwell and Victor Costello.

The Munster wing John Kelly has been dropped to the bench and London Irish's Justin Bishop, who returned to action with his club this month after a seven-week absence with a hand injury, reclaims the jersey he last wore against Argentina back in November.

David Humphreys continues at outside-half despite Ronan O'Gara's recovery from an ankle injury as Ireland seek to continue an amazing record in Cardiff that started in 1985. The nearest Wales have come to victory since then was in 1991, when they drew.

Wales will announce their team this afternoon. It will contain at least one change from the side that succumbed to a lame defeat in Scotland this month, with the full-back Kevin Morgan ruled out by a knee injury.

Rhys Williams is likely to switch from the wing to replace Morgan, with Mark Jones fit to return. There are likely to be changes at prop, at hooker, where Jonathan Humphreys is fit again, in the second row and at No8 where Colin Charvis, who started the season as the Wales captain but lost his place after last month's defeat in Italy, is expected to be recalled.

Ireland: Murphy (Leicester); Bishop (London Irish), O'Driscoll (Leinster, capt), Maggs (Bath), Hickie (Leinster); Humphreys (Ulster), Stringer (Munster); Horan (Munster), Byrne (Leinster), Hayes (Munster), Cullen (Leinster), O'Kelly (Leinster), Quinlan (Munster), Gleeson (Leinster), Foley (Munster).

Replacements: Sheahan (Munster), Fitzpatrick (Ulster), O'Callaghan (Munster), Miller (Leinster), G Easterby (Llanelli), O'Gara (Munster), Kelly (Munster).