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New Ireland Coach Declan Kidney kept six uncapped players in his reduced 34-man squad on Saturday to reassemble for training in Dublin next week ahead of the first of their November tests, against Canada.
Backs Jonathan Sexton, Keith Earls and Ian Dowling and forwards Ryan Caldwell, Cian Healy and Donnacha Ryan are the new names hoping to avoid the final cut when Kidney trims the group to the match-day 22 next Tuesday for the Nov. 8 test.
The coach originally named a provisional 41-man squad and the biggest casualty of Saturday's trim was lock Malcolm O'Kelly, Ireland's most capped international with 91 appearances.
Captain Brian O'Driscoll is fighting to overcome a knee injury but said this week he was hopeful he would recover in time to lead the team out against Canada at Thomond Park, Limerick.
Ireland have further games against New Zealand and Argentina in Dublin.
The November tests will be the first matches under Kidney, who took over from Eddie O'Sullivan in May but was not in charge for the away defeats by New Zealand and Australia in June.
