By Jim Stokes BBC Sport

Wasps flanker Johnny O'Connor ready to wear Ireland jersey

Johnny O'Connor, barring injury, is set to wear the Ireland number seven jersey against South Africa on 13 November.

With Kieron Dawson the latest openside flanker to bite the dust, it leaves the way open for the Wasps tearaway.

The London Irish flanker was ruled out for three months after suffering medial ligament damage at the weekend.

O'Connor and Munster's young troubadour Denis Leamy are the only genuine opensides now available to Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan.

Dawson had come under O'Sullivan's microscope this season, and was in line to add to his 21 caps, the last of which was won just over 12 months ago.

With Ulster's Neil McMillan out for the season with a knee injury, Keith Gleeson's broken leg, and David Wallace out of favour at Munster, O'Sullivan can finally nail the mischief-making about O'Connor.

It was reported that the 24-year-old former Ireland 'A' player was being targeted by England. That was a total flyer and has now been put to bed.

The Galway-born flanker has proven he is up to the task. He has been personally watched on a number of occasions by O'Sullivan his season.

He may not be playing as well as some may say he is, but ultimately is now the main man to take over from Gleeson.

Progressed

O'Connor has recovered superbly from an Achilles tendon operation last season, and is now a key player with Warren Gatland's Heineken Cup holders.

Leamy, like O'Connor a former Ireland under-21 flanker, has gradually progressed in the Munster back row and had pushed Wallace out of the match-day squad.

A fiery customer, the 23-year-old Leamy has that all-important nose for winning ball on the ground - an important asset in O'Sullivan's game plan.

O'Sullivan will have two Heineken Cup games to make his final assessment before announcing his squad for the autumn Tests.

The squad will assemble in Dublin on Monday, 1 November to prepare for the games against South Africa, US Eagles and Argentina.