CAPTAIN RORY BEST and out-half Johnny Sexton are among the players to have been left at home as Ireland travel to Chicago for Saturday’s clash with Italy in Soldier Field.
Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has named a 26-man squad for the trip to the US for the start of a four-game run of November Tests.
The travelling party, which leaves Dublin this morning, includes frontline players like Tadhg Furlong, James Ryan and Garry Ringrose.
Also included are the uncapped duo of Leinster out-half Ross Byrne and Ulster utility back Will Addison.
With Ireland set to host Argentina in Dublin in two weekends’ time and then face New Zealand at the Aviva Stadium a week later, Schmidt is clearly keen to hold back a handful of players.
Joining Best and Sexton in remaining at home are the likes of Cian Healy, Iain Henderson, Dan Leavy, Peter O’Mahony, CJ Stander, Sean O’Brien, Rob Kearney, Robbie Henshaw and Keith Earls
Ireland have not yet named a captain for the clash in Chicago.
Ireland squad v Italy:
Forwards (15):
Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht) 7
Tadhg Beirne (Munster) 2
Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 9
Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 62
Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 26
Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster) 22
Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 50
Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Ulster) 23
Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster) 8
Quinn Roux (Galwegians/Connacht) 6
Rhys Ruddock (St Mary’s College/Leinster) 19
James Ryan (UCD/Leinster) 11
Niall Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) 9
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 60
Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster) 10
Backs (11):
Will Addison (Enniskillen/Ulster) *
Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht) 9
Ross Byrne (UCD/Leinster) *
Joey Carbery (Clontarf/Munster) 12
Andrew Conway (Garryowen/Munster) 7
John Cooney (Terenure College/Ulster) 2
Jordan Larmour (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 6
Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) 6
Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster) 14
Jacob Stockdale (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 11
Darren Sweetnam (Cork Constitution/Munster) 2
- number indicates total Ireland caps, * denotes uncapped
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