JOE SCHMIDT HAS selected seven uncapped players in a 27-man squad for this week’s Ireland XV fixture against the Barbarians in Thomond Park.
With Munster set to take on Glasgow in the Pro12 final and Connacht players rested after a sapping 100 minutes in Gloucester, Schmidt and his coaching staff have selected the squad from Ulster and Leinster.
Jamie Heaslip captains the side with Jack Conan, Stuart McCloskey, Tadhg Furlong, Ben Marshall, Cian Kelleher, Luke McGrath and Colm O’Shea all brought in to the setup.
There are also ready-made routes back in to the front-line international scene for players who have – through injury or limited opportunity – missed out for a period; such as Chris Henry, Rhys Ruddock, Noel Reid and Luke Marshall.
Like all BaaBaas games, Thursday’s fixture will not award caps, but with a World Cup in view it allows players get a feel for international preparation and opposition.
Ireland
Forwards (15)
Michael Bent (Leinster/Dublin University)
Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere)
Robbie Diack (Ulster/Malone)
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf)
Jamie Heaslip (Leinster/Dublin University) CAPTAIN
Chris Henry (Ulster/Malone)
Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch)
Jack McGrath (Leinster/St Mary’s College)
Ben Marshall (Leinster/Old Belvedere)
Jordi Murphy (Leinster/Lansdowne)
Mike Ross (Leinster/Clontarf)
Rhys Ruddock (Leinster/St Mary’s College)
Richardt Strauss (Leinster/Old Wesley)
Devin Toner (Leinster/Lansdowne)
Dan Tuohy (Ulster/Ballymena)
Backs (12)
Craig Gilroy (Ulster/Dungannon)gg
Paddy Jackson (Ulster/Dungannon)
Dave Kearney (Leinster/Lansdowne)
Rob Kearney (Leinster/UCD)
Cian Kelleher (Leinster/Lansdowne)
Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Ballynahinch)
Luke McGrath (Leinster/UCD)
Ian Madigan (Leinster/Blackrock College)
Luke Marshall (Ulster/Ballynahinch)
Colm O’Shea (Leinster/Clontarf)
Eoin Reddan (Leinster/Lansdowne)
Noel Reid (Leinster/Clontarf)
