IRELAND HEAD COACH Andy Farrell has included the uncapped Ulster pair Jamie Benson and James McNabney in his 36-man squad for the upcoming Nations Championship.
Farrell has also recalled Mack Hansen, Ryan Baird, Andrew Porter, and Tommy O’Brien to his group after they missed the first window of the Nations Championship in July due to injury.
Dan Sheehan will captain Ireland again in the ongoing injury-enforced absence of Caelan Doris, who was ruled out of this ‘Northern Hemisphere Series’ along with Jack Conan, Jack Crowley, Jack Boyle, Harry Byrne, Iain Henderson, Paddy McCarthy, Calvin Nash and Bryn Ward.
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23-year-old Ulster back row McNabney can play at blindside flanker or number eight, and has been on Ireland’s radar for some time, missing out on the 2025 summer tour to Georgia and Portugal due to injury. That ACL injury kept him sidelined for all of last season but the big, powerful back row is now back in action for Ulster.
24-year-old Benson joined Ulster from Harlequins during the summer and has made a bright start to life with the northern province. The former England U20 international, who qualifies for Ireland through his family, is primarily an out-half but also plays at inside centre and fullback.
With Crowley and Byrne sidelined, Benson joins Sam Prendergast and Ciarán Frawley as the out-half options in Farrell’s squad.
Otherwise, Farrell’s Ireland squad has a settled look to it.
Ireland open their campaign against Argentina in Dublin on Friday 6 November, host Fiji at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday 14 November, then welcome the Springboks to town on Saturday 21 November. Farrell’s men will have a play-off game at Twickenham in London on the weekend of 27/28/29 November.
Ireland squad for Nations Championship Northern Hemisphere Series
Hookers: Dan Sheehan (captain), Rónan Kelleher, Tom Stewart
Props: Andrew Porter, Tom O’Toole, Billy Bohan, Tadhg Furlong, Thomas Clarkson, Sam Illo
Locks: James Ryan, Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne, Darragh Murray
Back rows: Josh van der Flier, Sean Jansen, Ryan Baird, Cian Prendergast, Nick Timoney, James McNabney
Uncapped Ulster duo included in Farrell's Ireland squad
IRELAND HEAD COACH Andy Farrell has included the uncapped Ulster pair Jamie Benson and James McNabney in his 36-man squad for the upcoming Nations Championship.
Farrell has also recalled Mack Hansen, Ryan Baird, Andrew Porter, and Tommy O’Brien to his group after they missed the first window of the Nations Championship in July due to injury.
Dan Sheehan will captain Ireland again in the ongoing injury-enforced absence of Caelan Doris, who was ruled out of this ‘Northern Hemisphere Series’ along with Jack Conan, Jack Crowley, Jack Boyle, Harry Byrne, Iain Henderson, Paddy McCarthy, Calvin Nash and Bryn Ward.
23-year-old Ulster back row McNabney can play at blindside flanker or number eight, and has been on Ireland’s radar for some time, missing out on the 2025 summer tour to Georgia and Portugal due to injury. That ACL injury kept him sidelined for all of last season but the big, powerful back row is now back in action for Ulster.
24-year-old Benson joined Ulster from Harlequins during the summer and has made a bright start to life with the northern province. The former England U20 international, who qualifies for Ireland through his family, is primarily an out-half but also plays at inside centre and fullback.
With Crowley and Byrne sidelined, Benson joins Sam Prendergast and Ciarán Frawley as the out-half options in Farrell’s squad.
Otherwise, Farrell’s Ireland squad has a settled look to it.
Ireland squad for Nations Championship Northern Hemisphere Series
Hookers: Dan Sheehan (captain), Rónan Kelleher, Tom Stewart
Props: Andrew Porter, Tom O’Toole, Billy Bohan, Tadhg Furlong, Thomas Clarkson, Sam Illo
Locks: James Ryan, Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne, Darragh Murray
Back rows: Josh van der Flier, Sean Jansen, Ryan Baird, Cian Prendergast, Nick Timoney, James McNabney
Halfbacks: Jamison Gibson-Park, Craig Casey, Nathan Doak, Sam Prendergast, Ciarán Frawley, Jamie Benson
Centres: Stuart McCloskey, Bundee Aki, Robbie Henshaw, Garry Ringrose
Back threes: Hugo Keenan, Robert Baloucoune, Mack Hansen, Jamie Osborne, Tommy O’Brien, Jimmy O’Brien, Jacob Stockdale
andy farrell CONFIRMED Ireland james mcnabney Jamie Benson Nations Championship October Ulster Rugby