ANDY FARRELL HAS named uncapped Connacht trio Billy Bohan, Sam Illo and Sean Jansen in his Ireland squad ahead of their summer Tests.
As expected, Jack Crowley misses out through injury, but Munster captain Tadhg Beirne is included after missing the end of his province’s URC campaign.
Andrew Porter, however, will miss out this summer, joining Crowley on an injury list which also includes Ryan Baird, Shayne Bolton, Jack Boyle, Edwin Edogbo, Tom Farrell, Mack Hansen, Paddy McCarthy and Calvin Nash.
Ireland will begin their campaign in the inaugural Nations Championship against Australia, Japan and New Zealand in July, with Farrell selecting a 36-player squad, led by Caelan Doris, to travel to Sydney on Monday.
Of the uncapped inclusions, Billy Bohan was part of the Ireland squad for the Six Nations earlier this season, while Illo and Jansen – who have each previously featured for Emerging Ireland – have earned first senior squad call ups after impressive seasons for Connacht.
Ireland open their Nations Championship campaign against Australia at a sold-out Allianz Stadium in Sydney on Saturday, 4 July (8:10pm local time/11:10am Irish time), before facing Japan at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle, Australia, on Saturday, 11 July (8:10pm local time/11:10am Irish time).
Advertisement
Ireland will then travel to Auckland for a Round 3 clash with New Zealand at the All Blacks’ fortress of Eden Park on Saturday, 18 July (7:10pm local time/8:10am Irish time).
Head coach Andy Farrell said: “I’m pleased to announce the Ireland squad for the opening three rounds of the Nations Championship. This competition will bring the best of the northern hemisphere up against their southern counterparts and the road for that Sunday evening slot for Finals Weekend in London starts now.
“We have three tough Tests against Australia, Japan and New Zealand and it’s important that we hit the ground running in this new tournament.
“The experience of playing down under will be priceless for us and even though we’ll be playing in front of largely partisan home crowds, we are also excited about playing in front of a huge Irish support. Their dedication to the team never ceases to amaze us and with a huge diaspora down under I’m sure we can count on a large Irish following in Sydney, Newcastle and then on to Auckland.
“For us, we are aiming to build on our positive performances during the recent Guinness Men’s Six Nations.
“The non-Leinster contingent across the three provinces have completed a three-day training block this week in the IRFU HPC ahead of our departure on Monday and it has given us the chance to look at the squad going forward. Congratulations to Billy, Sam and Sean on their selections and each of them has earned the right to be selected after their performances this season.
“Their selection, allied to an experienced majority who we hope to see perform strongly for Leinster in the BKT URC final on Friday night, will add great energy to the squad which we’ve been building over the last number of campaigns.”
Ireland’s Nations Championship games will be broadcast live on Virgin Media One in the Republic of Ireland and on ITV in the United Kingdom.
Ireland Squad
Forwards (20):
Tadhg Beirne
Billy Bohan
Thomas Clarkson
Jack Conan
Caelan Doris
Tadhg Furlong
Sam Illo
Cormac Izuchukwu
Sean Jansen
Rónan Kelleher
Jeremy Loughman
Joe McCarthy
Darragh Murray
Tom O’Toole
Cian Prendergast
James Ryan
Dan Sheehan
Tom Stewart
Nick Timoney
Josh van der Flier
Backs (16):
Bundee Aki
Rob Baloucoune
Harry Byrne
Craig Casey
Nathan Doak
Ciaran Frawley
Jamison Gibson-Park
Robbie Henshaw
Hugo Keenan
Stuart McCloskey
Jimmy O’Brien
Tommy O’Brien
Jamie Osborne
Sam Prendergast
Garry Ringrose
Jacob Stockdale
Saturday, 4 July: Australia v Ireland, Allianz Stadium, Sydney, 8:10pm local time/11:10am Irish time Saturday, 11 July: Japan v Ireland, McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, 8:10pm local time/11:10am Irish time Saturday, 18 July: New Zealand v Ireland, Eden Park, Auckland, 7:10pm local time/8:10am Irish time
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
37 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Uncapped Connacht trio included in Farrell's Ireland squad for summer Tests
ANDY FARRELL HAS named uncapped Connacht trio Billy Bohan, Sam Illo and Sean Jansen in his Ireland squad ahead of their summer Tests.
As expected, Jack Crowley misses out through injury, but Munster captain Tadhg Beirne is included after missing the end of his province’s URC campaign.
Andrew Porter, however, will miss out this summer, joining Crowley on an injury list which also includes Ryan Baird, Shayne Bolton, Jack Boyle, Edwin Edogbo, Tom Farrell, Mack Hansen, Paddy McCarthy and Calvin Nash.
Ireland will begin their campaign in the inaugural Nations Championship against Australia, Japan and New Zealand in July, with Farrell selecting a 36-player squad, led by Caelan Doris, to travel to Sydney on Monday.
Of the uncapped inclusions, Billy Bohan was part of the Ireland squad for the Six Nations earlier this season, while Illo and Jansen – who have each previously featured for Emerging Ireland – have earned first senior squad call ups after impressive seasons for Connacht.
Ireland open their Nations Championship campaign against Australia at a sold-out Allianz Stadium in Sydney on Saturday, 4 July (8:10pm local time/11:10am Irish time), before facing Japan at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle, Australia, on Saturday, 11 July (8:10pm local time/11:10am Irish time).
Ireland will then travel to Auckland for a Round 3 clash with New Zealand at the All Blacks’ fortress of Eden Park on Saturday, 18 July (7:10pm local time/8:10am Irish time).
Head coach Andy Farrell said: “I’m pleased to announce the Ireland squad for the opening three rounds of the Nations Championship. This competition will bring the best of the northern hemisphere up against their southern counterparts and the road for that Sunday evening slot for Finals Weekend in London starts now.
“We have three tough Tests against Australia, Japan and New Zealand and it’s important that we hit the ground running in this new tournament.
“The experience of playing down under will be priceless for us and even though we’ll be playing in front of largely partisan home crowds, we are also excited about playing in front of a huge Irish support. Their dedication to the team never ceases to amaze us and with a huge diaspora down under I’m sure we can count on a large Irish following in Sydney, Newcastle and then on to Auckland.
“For us, we are aiming to build on our positive performances during the recent Guinness Men’s Six Nations.
“The non-Leinster contingent across the three provinces have completed a three-day training block this week in the IRFU HPC ahead of our departure on Monday and it has given us the chance to look at the squad going forward. Congratulations to Billy, Sam and Sean on their selections and each of them has earned the right to be selected after their performances this season.
“Their selection, allied to an experienced majority who we hope to see perform strongly for Leinster in the BKT URC final on Friday night, will add great energy to the squad which we’ve been building over the last number of campaigns.”
Ireland’s Nations Championship games will be broadcast live on Virgin Media One in the Republic of Ireland and on ITV in the United Kingdom.
Ireland Squad
Forwards (20):
Tadhg Beirne
Billy Bohan
Thomas Clarkson
Jack Conan
Caelan Doris
Tadhg Furlong
Sam Illo
Cormac Izuchukwu
Sean Jansen
Rónan Kelleher
Jeremy Loughman
Joe McCarthy
Darragh Murray
Tom O’Toole
Cian Prendergast
James Ryan
Dan Sheehan
Tom Stewart
Nick Timoney
Josh van der Flier
Backs (16):
Bundee Aki
Rob Baloucoune
Harry Byrne
Craig Casey
Nathan Doak
Ciaran Frawley
Jamison Gibson-Park
Robbie Henshaw
Hugo Keenan
Stuart McCloskey
Jimmy O’Brien
Tommy O’Brien
Jamie Osborne
Sam Prendergast
Garry Ringrose
Jacob Stockdale
Ireland Fixtures – Nations Championship Southern Hemisphere Series:
Saturday, 4 July: Australia v Ireland, Allianz Stadium, Sydney, 8:10pm local time/11:10am Irish time
Saturday, 11 July: Japan v Ireland, McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, 8:10pm local time/11:10am Irish time
Saturday, 18 July: New Zealand v Ireland, Eden Park, Auckland, 7:10pm local time/8:10am Irish time
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Nations Championship Rugby