Horan and Best face Saxons

Marcus Horan and Rory Best are included in an all-Test front row for Ireland A's clash with England Saxons.

Front rowers bid to prove their fitness

Marcus Horan and Rory Best will start for Ireland A in Sunday's clash with England Saxons in Bath. The duo feature alongside prop Tony Buckley in a strong front row, as they attempt to gain match fitness ahead of the RBS 6 Nations opener against Italy on Saturday week. Munster loosehead Horan is back after recovering from the minor heart condition suffered in mid-October that forced him to miss the autumn series. Best has returned to the international fold having completed his rehabilitation from neck surgery. The Ulster hooker's provincial team-mate Paddy Wallace starts at fly-half, though he will also be involved against Italy if he wins his battle with Gordon D'Arcy for the number 12 jersey. Munster veteran Peter Stringer will start at scrum-half, while Mick O'Driscoll leads the side. Ireland A will be known as the 'Wolfhounds' from next Friday's clash with Scotland A in Ravenhill. Ireland A: G Duffy (Connacht); F Carr (Connacht), F McFadden (Leinster), K Matthews (Connacht), I Dowling (Munster); P Wallace (Ulster), P Stringer (Munster); M Horan (Munster), R Best (Ulster), T Buckley (Munster), M O'Driscoll (Munster, captain), D Toner (Leinster), S Jennings (Leinster), S O'Brien (Leinster), J Muldoon (Connacht).
Replacements: J Fogarty (Leinster), M Ross (Leinster), R Caldwell (Ulster), N Ronan (Munster), I Boss (Ulster), I Humphries (Ulster) D Cave (Ulster).