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Schmidt names Bundee Aki in autumn internationals squad

JoeSchmidt
Connacht centre Bundee Aki has been handed his first call-up to the Ireland squad for the autumn internationals but experienced winger Simon Zebo misses out.

Connacht centre Bundee Aki has been handed his first call-up to the Ireland squad for the autumn internationals but experienced winger Simon Zebo misses out.

Aki, who was born in New Zealand but qualifies for Ireland through residency, is also joined by the Leinster’s 23-year-old winger Adam Byrne, as well as Munster pair Chris Farrell and Darren Sweetnam as the four uncapped players named in Joe Schmidt’s squad.

Rory Best will captain the Irish against South Africa, Fiji and Argentina after returning from a hamstring injury last week for Ulster.

Another player returning from injury is Connacht lock Ultan Dillane while Rob Herring and Stuart McCloskey will be hoping to add to their single caps for the country so far.

The squad also features ten players who made their Ireland debuts within the past year, including Ulster’s Jacob Stockdale and Kieran Treadwell and Leinster forwards Andrew Porter and James Ryan, who won their first caps during the summer tour to the USA and Japan.

But there’s no place for Zebo, who recently revealed he would be leaving Munster at the end of the season after eight years at the Irish province.

Experienced Ulster wingers Andrew Trimble and Tommy Bowe have been left out as Schmidt looks to give a number of promising starlets a chance to shine.

Ireland head coach Schmidt said: “In what we anticipate will be an incredibly physical Guinness Series, plenty will be demanded of the squad.

“We have retained a core of experienced players but have also included a number of promising players that we hope will acquit themselves well.”

Ireland’s opening match will be against South Africa on November 11, before playing Fiji on November 18 and Argentina a week later.

2017 Guinness Series Squad

Backs: Bundee Aki (Connacht) Adam Byrne (Leinster) Joey Carbery (Leinster) Andrew Conway (Munster) Keith Earls (Munster) Chris Farrell (Munster) Robbie Henshaw (Leinster) Dave Kearney (Leinster) Rob Kearney (Leinster) Ian Keatley (Munster) Kieran Marmion (Connacht) Stuart McCloskey (UIster) Luke McGrath (Leinster) Conor Murray (Munster) Johnny Sexton (Leinster) Jacob Stockdale (Ulster) Darren Sweetnam (Munster)   Forwards: Rory Best (Ulster) Jack Conan (Leinster) Ultan Dillane (Connacht) Tadhg Furlong (Leinster) Cian Healy (Leinster) Iain Henderson (Ulster) Rob Herring (Ulster) Dave Kilcoyne (Munster) Dan Leavy (Leinster) Jack McGrath (Leinster) Sean O’Brien (Leinster) Tommy O’Donnell (Munster) Peter O’Mahony (Munster) Andrew Porter (Leinster) Rhys Ruddock (Leinster) James Ryan (Leinster) John Ryan (Munster) CJ Stander (Munster) Devin Toner (Leinster) James Tracey (Leinster) Kieran Treadwell (Ulster)