ANDY FARRELL NAMED his 33-man World Cup squad earlier today and looking over the list of those who will be travelling to France serves as a good reminder of just how much the squad has evolved since the Englishman replaced Joe Schmidt following the 2019 tournament in Japan.
Many of the pillars of that 2019 team are still going strong but a core group of Farrell’s squad will be getting their first taste of World Cup rugby. Here, we profile the 18 Ireland players who will be heading to the game’s showpiece tournament for the first time.
Ryan Baird (Leinster)
Age: 24, caps: 13, position: second row/back row
One of the most versatile options in Ireland’s forward pack, Baird is a hugely exciting prospect who has shown glimpses of his potential at Test level.
Can play in the second row or back row, but his two appearances in the warm-up games (v Italy and Samoa) saw Andy Farrell start him at openside, perhaps an indication of where Ireland see his role at this World Cup. The athletic and dynamic Baird offers something unique and will be hoping to make a strong impression in the pool stages.
Finlay Bealham (Connacht)
Age: 31, caps: 32, position: tighthead prop
A high-quality deputy for Tadhg Furlong who has eased any concerns around the depth at tighthead. Bealham debuted for Ireland all the way back in March 2016 but was in and out of the squad for his first couple of years, missing out on selection for the 2019 World Cup as Joe Schmidt went with Furlong, Andrew Porter and John Ryan as his three tighthead options.
Porter’s subsequent return to loosehead created an opportunity and Bealham proved a reliable option off the bench before coming into his own while Furlong was injured during this year’s Six Nations. One of the most improved players in the squad under Farrell’s watch.
Ross Byrne (Leinster)
Age: 28, caps: 21, position: out-half
What a year it’s been for the Leinster out-half. Byrne came out of international exile to kick a clutch match-winning penalty against the Wallabies last autumn and has worked his way back into Farrell’s plans as Joey Carbery slipped down the pecking order.
Displayed flashes of his improved attacking threat in the win against England but is being pushed hard by Jack Crowley to play back-up to Johnny Sexton. Looks set to remain an important part of the squad following Sexton’s retirement having fought his way back from the lows of 2019, where he became the fall guy for Ireland’s dismal showing against England in Twickenham.
An assured place-kicker, Byrne has the big game temperament needed to win on the biggest stage and – depending how that battle with Crowley goes – the next two months could be the biggest test of his career.
Craig Casey (Munster)
Age: 24, caps: 12, position: scrum-half
The livewire scrum-half will provide competition to Jamison Gibson-Park and Conor Murray, who have remained Farrell’s first-choice nines.
Debuted against Italy in February 2021 and has made three Test starts across 12 caps. Has been effective when used off the bench by Ireland, adding energy across the final quarter with his running threat. Has work to do to close the gap on Gibson-Park and Murray but enjoyed a good battle with the latter at Munster last season, starting key Champions Cup games ahead of his fellow Limerick man.
Jack Crowley (Munster)
Age: 23, caps: 6, position: out-half/centre/fullback
A brilliant season with Munster catapulted Crowley into the Ireland picture. Impressed on his first Test start when Johnny Sexton was a late withdrawal from the team to play Australia last November and he’s only gone from strength to strength since, playing a central role for Munster as the province stormed to an unlikely URC success.
Has looked right at home in the green jersey and will battle with Ross Byrne for minutes in France. The Corkman is only 23 but looks to have the temperment to lead a team in pressure situations, and was one of the few brights sparks during Ireland’s messy first-half performance against Samoa. Might just be the long-term heir to the 10 jersey when Sexton retires after the World Cup.
Caelan Doris (Leinster)
Age: 25, caps: 31, position: back row
First capped by Farrell in October 2020, Doris is now one of the most influential and important members of Ireland’s starting XV. An athletic and skillful athlete, Doris can play at openside or blindside but tends to be at his most effective when selected at number eight.
One of the outstanding talents in this Ireland squad, the Leinster player has a massive engine and has made a habit of producing big moments in big games. Has been capped 31 times and is already a key leader on the pitch. Vital to Ireland’s chances of making history in France.
Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)
Age: 31, caps: 26, position: scrum-half
Another big call by Farrell which paid off in a major way. New Zealander Gibson-Park became eligible to play for Ireland a month before the 2019 World Cup kicked-off and first came into the squad in October 2020, when Luke McGrath was still the first-choice No 9 at Leinster.
Despite not being the main man at his province, Gibson-Park proved a revelation at Test level, with the tempo he provides perfectly suited to the way Farrell wants his Ireland team to play. His partnership with out-half Johnny Sexton was key to the series win in New Zealand last summer and the Grand Slam success which followed.
Mack Hansen (Connacht)
Age: 25, caps: 16, position: wing/fullback
One of the real success stories of the Farrell era. An under-the-radar signing by Connacht in 2021, Hansen immediately qualified to play for Ireland through his mother, who hails from Cork.
The Australian native made his Test debut in the 2022 Six Nations and although he has just 16 caps to his name, Hansen already feels like part of the furniture. Like James Lowe on the opposite wing, the 25-year-old tends to be prominently involved in Ireland’s attack thanks to his roving role around the pitch. A scoring threat with seven tries in 16 caps, Hansen is also strong in the air and as an added bonus, is a hugely popular character around the camp. Surely the only player at the World Cup who has a tattoo of their head coach.
Rob Herring (Ulster)
Age: 33, caps: 37, position: hooker
Technically this is Herring’s second World Cup, but his involvement in 2019 was more of a flying visit – the hooker was called into Joe Schmidt’s squad three days before Ireland’s quarter-final against the New Zealand, but didn’t make the matchday squad for that defeat to the All Blacks.
This time around, he’s in from the start and given injury concerns around both Dan Sheehan and Rónan Kelleher, he’s likely to feature in the opening pool games. The 33-year-old might not bring the same dynamism as Sheehan and Kelleher but he’s been a solid performer for Ireland and made some big contributions on last summer’s tour to New Zealand, with his game-changing impact off the bench against Samoa last night a timely reminder of what he offers.
Hugo Keenan (Leinster)
Age: 27, caps: 31, position: fullback
One of the biggest success stories of Farrell’s time in charge. The Wigan native made a huge call with his first Ireland squad by ending Rob Kearney’s international career and for a while, there didn’t look to be an obvious solution at fullback, with Jordan Larmour and Jacob Stockdale both starting at 15 across the covid-disputed 2020 Six Nations.
Keenan debuted on the wing on the latter rounds of that championship and was Ireland’s starting fullback for the 2021 Six Nations. He’s only missed a handful of games since and is now one of the first names on the teamsheet. His reading of the game and increasing threat in attack makes him so important to this team.
Rónan Kelleher (Leinster)
Age: 25, caps: 21, position: hooker
Kelleher looked like he might be the long-term successor to Rory Best but the rise of Dan Sheehan has turned hooker into a position of real strength for Ireland. Unfortunately for Kelleher, his World Cup prep has been heavily disrupted. The 25-year-old didn’t feature at all across Ireland’s three warm-up games but Farrell seems confident the Leinster player will be good to go in the pool stages.
If Ireland can select both Kelleher and Sheehan in their matchday 23, their depth at hooker will be the envy of most teams in France.
James Lowe (Leinster)
Age: 31, caps: 21, position: wing
The third pillar of Ireland’s brilliant back three, Lowe – together with Hansen and Keenan – brings so much energy to this team. Became eligible to play for Ireland in November 2020 and Farrell wasted no time in getting him involved. Had a difficult start to his international career, with his defensive work coming under scrutiny, but has worked hard to make that area of his game a real strength.
Has a good try-scoring return – 10 in 21 caps – but his kicking game is just as important, with Ireland often using his left boot as an exit option.
Jeremy Loughman (Munster)
Age: 28, caps:4, position: loosehead prop
Born in Reno, Nevada, Loughman came through the ranks at Athy RFC before swapping Leinster for Munster in 2017.
Bumped into the final 33 after Cian Healy suffered an unfortunate calf injury against Samoa on Saturday. Loughman featured against the Maori All Blacks last summer and debuted in the November defeat of Fiji, before two more caps against England and Samoa this month. Has enjoyed a solid couple of years at provincial level but will have a big job on his hands to ease the concerns at loosehead in France, where Andrew Porter is Farrell’s number one and Dave Kilcoyne gets the green light to travel despite his own injury issues.
Joe McCarthy (Leinster)
Age: 22, caps: 3, position: second row
A big man with a big reputation, Farrell is a huge fan of the 22-year-old lock, first calling him into camp in 2020 when McCarthy was just 20 and had only a handful of Leinster caps to his name.
Having faced the Maoris last summer and toured with Emerging Ireland, McCarthy debuted for Ireland against Australia last November and has impressed during the World Cup warm-up games, using his 6’6″, 110kg frame to good effect. McCarthy’s potential is clear and while it’s still early days in his international career, he could well make a big impact in France.
Stuart McCloskey (Ulster)
Age: 31, caps: 14, position: centre
Another player who looked touch-and-go to make it, McCloskey makes the cut after a good year for the Ulsterman.
It’s still hard to believe McCloskey has just 14 caps to his name. He debuted for Ireland in 2016 but struggled to hold down a place in the squad. He was capped once in 2017, 2018 and 2020 before finally putting together back-to-back games for Ireland in 2021. Impressed during the November games last year and built on that with three caps in the Six Nations. Having being overlooked for the 2019 World Cup, it looked as though he may just miss out again amid the strong competition in midfield. In the end, Farrell has decided to go with four centres and a man who would walk into plenty of Test sides is off to his first World Cup.
Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster)
Age: 26, caps: 7, position: fullback/wing/centre
The Leinster man has quickly established himself as a quality and valuable addition to the squad since being thrown in for a high-pressure debut against the Springboks in November. Can cover a number of positions across the backline and has emerged as the primary back-up option to Hugo Keenan at fullback.
Can be an important player for Ireland in the opening games against Romania and Tonga and Farrell won’t be worried about throwing him in against South Africa or Scotland if needed. Scored his first Test try against Samoa before picking up a knock, but is fit to travel to France.
Tom O’Toole (Ulster)
Age: 24, caps: 11, position: tighthead prop
O’Toole has had an interesting rugby journey. Born in Drogheda and raised in Ratoath until he was six, O’Toole spent 10 years living in Australia and was selected for a Queensland Reds development squad as a teenager. He eventually came on the radar of the Irish Exiles programme and moved to Belfast, studying at Campbell College before representing Ireland at U18, U19 and U20 level.
The Ulster man will be Ireland’s third-choice tighthead at the World Cup and has shown up well when called upon by Farrell, who handed O’Toole his debut in July 2021 and has capped the 24-year-old 11 times.
Dan Sheehan (Leinster)
Age: 24, caps: 18, position: hooker
Ireland’s big injury scare ahead of the tournament. Sheehan injured his foot in the World Cup warm-up defeat of England and as a result, didn’t travel to France last week ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Samoa. Farrell says he expects Sheehan to be fit for the World Cup and if so, it will represent a major boost for Ireland.
Sheehan looked set to battle it out with Leinster teammate Rónan Kelleher for the number two shirt when the two players started to break through but as Kelleher has struggled with injuries, Sheehan has become one of the most influential hookers around. His lineout work is solid but what sets the 24-year-old is his workrate, athleticism and skillset.
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