IRELAND HAVE ANNOUNCED that Munster back row Gavin Coombes and four other players have been cut from their World Cup training squad.
Ulster lock Kieran Treadwell, Connacht scrum-half Caolin Blade, Munster wing Calvin Nash, and Leinster back Jamie Osborne have also been released back to their provinces after spending pre-season with Ireland.
Ireland have formally added Munster loosehead prop Jeremy Loughman to what is now a 38-man training squad. Loughman linked up with Ireland this week after Dave Kilcoyne picked up a knock.
With fellow number eight Jack Conan nursing a foot injury, 25-year-old Coombes would have been hoping to get a shot during one of Ireland’s two remaining World Cup warm-up games but he is left stuck on the two caps he won back in the summer of 2021.
Munster wing Nash made his Test debut off the bench against Italy two weekends ago but also returns to his province, while versatile 21-year-old Osborne remains uncapped for now.
Second row Treadwell has had some good days for Ireland under Farrell, including against New Zealand last summer, but dynamic 22-year-old Joe McCarthy appears to have edged ahead of him in the pecking order.
Connacht man Blade was always a long shot for World Cup inclusion given how established the scrum-half pecking order of Jamison Gibson-Park, Conor Murray, and Craig Casey has become.
Head coach Andy Farrell will announce his final 33-man World Cup squad on Monday 28 August.
Ireland 38-man training squad:
Loosehead props: Cian Healy, Dave Kilcoyne, Andrew Porter, Jeremy Loughman
Tighthead props: Finlay Bealham, Tadhg Furlong, Tom O’Toole
Hookers: Rob Herring, Ronan Kelleher, Dan Sheehan, Tom Stewart
Second rows: Tadhg Beirne, Iain Henderson, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Ryan Baird
Back rows: Jack Conan, Caelan Doris, Peter O’Mahony, Cian Prendergast, Josh van der Flier
Scrum-halves: Craig Casey, Jamison Gibson-Park, Conor Murray
Out-halves: Ross Byrne, Jack Crowley, Jonathan Sexton, Ciarán Frawley
Centres: Bundee Aki, Robbie Henshaw, Stuart McCloskey, Garry Ringrose
Back threes: Keith Earls, Mack Hansen, Hugo Keenan, James Lowe, Jimmy O’Brien, Jacob Stockdale.
