ULSTER’S SCOTT WILSON has joined Paul O’Connell’s Ireland squad ahead of the upcoming summer Tests against Georgia and Portugal.
The prop is the 13th uncapped player in O’Connell’s 33-man squad. The 22-year-old tighthead played 19 times for Ulster this season and was part of the Emerging Ireland squad who toured South Africa last October.
Ireland fly to Tbilisi tomorrow before Saturday’s game against Georgia, and then take on Portugal in Lisbon seven days later.
Defence coach Denis Leamy also confirmed that both Tom Ahern and Calvin Nash are on track to feature following injury.
Uncapped Munster lock Ahern sat out training over the weekend due to a tight hamstring.
“Tom is good to go. He’s fit and he’s ready to go,” Leamy said.
“Tom has progressed hugely over the last couple of years and he’s put in some excellent performances for Munster. So he’s a guy we have high hopes for and absolutely, hopefully, he’ll get game time and do really well. He’s such a promising player, I’ve no doubt he can do that.”
Leamy said the aim of the tour is to give some fresh faces a taste of international rugby, while striving to play ‘the Irish way’.
“I think it’s about implementing old and new into the Irish gameplan and playing the Irish way and seeing how players do in this environment and how they can produce big efforts and big performances.
“So it’s about building that catalogue of experience with those players and giving them a feel of what Test rugby looks like.
“It will be very, very similar if not the same (to when Andy Farrell is in charge). So that’s the plan, to play the really Irish way and to try and do it as well as we can.
“Obviously we’re missing a big chunk of the players who have gone to Australia with the Lions but it’s a great opportunity for the boys coming in to show what they can do and just build on some of the things that have (been) done to date.”
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Ulster's Scott Wilson joins Ireland squad for summer tour
ULSTER’S SCOTT WILSON has joined Paul O’Connell’s Ireland squad ahead of the upcoming summer Tests against Georgia and Portugal.
The prop is the 13th uncapped player in O’Connell’s 33-man squad. The 22-year-old tighthead played 19 times for Ulster this season and was part of the Emerging Ireland squad who toured South Africa last October.
Ireland fly to Tbilisi tomorrow before Saturday’s game against Georgia, and then take on Portugal in Lisbon seven days later.
Earlier today it was confirmed both games will be broadcast live on Virgin Media.
Defence coach Denis Leamy also confirmed that both Tom Ahern and Calvin Nash are on track to feature following injury.
Uncapped Munster lock Ahern sat out training over the weekend due to a tight hamstring.
“Tom is good to go. He’s fit and he’s ready to go,” Leamy said.
“Tom has progressed hugely over the last couple of years and he’s put in some excellent performances for Munster. So he’s a guy we have high hopes for and absolutely, hopefully, he’ll get game time and do really well. He’s such a promising player, I’ve no doubt he can do that.”
Leamy said the aim of the tour is to give some fresh faces a taste of international rugby, while striving to play ‘the Irish way’.
“I think it’s about implementing old and new into the Irish gameplan and playing the Irish way and seeing how players do in this environment and how they can produce big efforts and big performances.
“So it’s about building that catalogue of experience with those players and giving them a feel of what Test rugby looks like.
“It will be very, very similar if not the same (to when Andy Farrell is in charge). So that’s the plan, to play the really Irish way and to try and do it as well as we can.
“Obviously we’re missing a big chunk of the players who have gone to Australia with the Lions but it’s a great opportunity for the boys coming in to show what they can do and just build on some of the things that have (been) done to date.”
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Ireland New Face Rugby Scott Wilson Ulster