IRELAND BOSS ANDY Farrell has included the uncapped Craig Casey and Tom O’Toole in his 36-man squad for the upcoming Six Nations.
21-year-old Munster scrum-half Casey gets his first full senior call-up after showing promise with his province this season, while 22-year-old Ulster tighthead O’Toole returns to the squad after missing last autumn’s Tests through injury.
Both will hope to win their first Ireland caps in the Six Nations, while head coach Farrell has also handed Rhys Ruddock a recall after the 30-year-old’s consistently strong form for Leinster this season.
Leinster tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong is included despite having last played a rugby game in February 2020. The experienced front row is thought to be nearing a return after a torrid time with calf, back, and hamstring issues.
Leinster wing James Lowe is also back in the Ireland squad having been sidelined since their autumn campaign due to a groin injury, while Ulster lock Iain Henderson is also back in the frame. Munster loosehead Dave Kilcoyne is included after his recent return from an ankle problem.
Jacob Stockdale is absent from the Ireland squad due to a knee injury, with Farrell stating that the Ulster wing/fullback “will not be available to us.” It’s unclear whether Stockdale will recover to return to the fold later in the championship.
Johnny Sexton captains the squad again, although Farrell will hope the hamstring issue the out-half sustained in Leinster’s win over Munster on Saturday does not keep him sidelined.
Connacht’s Jack Carty and Kieran Marmion, Leinster’s Luke McGrath, Munster’s Gavin Coombes, and Ulster’s John Cooney are among those to miss out.
Ireland’s Six Nations campaign gets underway with a visit to Cardiff to face Wales on Sunday 7 February before they welcome France to Dublin on Sunday 14 February.
Farrell’s men play Italy in Rome on Saturday 27 February, face a trip to Scotland on Sunday 14 March, then finish their campaign by welcoming England to Dublin on Saturday 20 March.
Ireland squad for 2021 Six Nations:
Loosehead props: Cian Healy, Dave Kilcoyne
Hookers: Rob Herring, Dave Heffernan, Ronan Kelleher
Tighthead props: Andrew Porter, Tom O’Toole, Tadhg Furlong
Locks: James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne, Iain Henderson, Ultan Dillane, Quinn Roux
Back rows: CJ Stander, Peter O’Mahony, Caelan Doris, Will Connors, Rhys Ruddock, Josh van der Flier
Scrum-halves: Conor Murray, Jamison Gibson-Park, Craig Casey
Out-halves: Johnny Sexton (captain), Billy Burns, Ross Byrne
Centres: Robbie Henshaw, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, Chris Farrell, Stuart McCloskey
Back threes: Jordan Larmour, Hugo Keenan, Keith Earls, Shane Daly, Andrew Conway, James Lowe.
- This article was updated at 10.52am to correct the date of Ireland’s first game from November to February.
