The summer is here and with comes an action-packed schedule of international Tests.
All six Guinness Six Nations teams are off on their travels and many have used the opportunity to blood several uncapped players ahead of what promises to be a huge 2023.
England have called on eight uncapped players for their tour of Australia while Italy have selected four of their own, with prop Ion Neculai and fly-half Giacomo Da Re in line for debuts.
Five uncapped players have been called up by Andy Farrell for Ireland’s tour of New Zealand – Ciaran Frawley, Joe McCarthy, Jimmy O’Brien, Jeremy Loughman and Cian Prendergast.
Meanwhile Scarlets tighthead prop Harri O’Connor has been called up for Wales as one of a handful of uncapped players named in the squad for the three-Test series with the reigning world champions South Africa.
Elsewhere, France have include 17 uncapped players in their squad, including Racing 92 scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec, while Scotland are giving experience to six uncapped players.
ENGLAND SQUAD FOR TOUR TO AUSTRALIA
Forwards: Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 2 caps), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 34 caps), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 40 caps), Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 30 caps), Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 36 caps), Jamie George (Saracens, 66 caps), Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 2 caps), Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs, 12 caps), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens, 7 caps), Maro Itoje (Saracens, 56 caps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 93 caps), Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 11 caps), Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 2 caps), Patrick Schickerling (Exeter Chiefs, uncapped), Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 20 caps), Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 28 caps), Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 61 caps), Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 67 caps), Jack Walker (Harlequins, uncapped), Jack Willis (Wasps, 3 caps)
Backs: Henry Arundell (London Irish, uncapped) *apprentice player, Danny Care (Harlequins, 84 caps), Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby, 11 caps), Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints, uncapped), Owen Farrell (Saracens, 94 caps), Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, uncapped), George Furbank (Northampton Saints, 6 caps), Will Joseph (London Irish, uncapped) *apprentice player, Joe Marchant (Harlequins, 12 caps), Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 69 caps), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 39 caps), Guy Porter (Leicester Tigers, uncapped), Harry Randall (Bristol Bears, 6 caps), Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, uncapped), Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 10 caps), Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 10 caps)
FRANCE SQUAD FOR JAPAN SUMMER TOUR
Forwards: Jean-Baptiste Gros (Toulon), Dany Priso (La Rochelle), Matis Perchaud (Bayonne), Demba Bamba (Lyon), Sipili Falatea (Clermont), Thomas Laclayat (Oyonnax), Dorian Aldegheri (Toulouse), Pierre Bourgarit (La Rochelle), Péato Mauvaka (Toulouse), Christopher Tolofua (Toulon), Thibaud Flament (Toulouse), Thomas Lavault (La Rochelle), Swan Rebbadj (Toulon), Rémi Picquette (La Rochelle), Thomas Jolmes (UBB), Charles Ollivon (Toulon) (c), Ibrahim Diallo (Racing 92), Yoan Tanga (Racing 92), Selevasio Tolofua (Toulouse), Dylan Cretin (Lyon), Sékou Macalou (Stade Français), Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer (UBB), Matthias Haddad-Victor (La Rochelle)
Backs: Baptiste Couilloud (Lyon), Nolann Le Garrec (Racing 92), Maxime Lucu (UBB), Antoine Hastoy (Pau), Louis Carbonel (Toulon), Matthieu Jalibert (UBB), Yoram Moefana (UBB), Tani Vili (Clermont), Virimi Vakatawa (Racing 92), Louis Le Brun (Castres), Enzo Reybier (Oyonnax), Rémy Baget (Bayonne), Matthis Lebel (Toulouse), Damian Penaud (Clermont), Jules Favre (La Rochelle), Aymeric Luc (Toulon), Max Spring (Racing 92), Melvyn Jaminet (Perpignan), Romain Buros (UBB).
IRELAND SQUAD FOR NEW ZEALAND TOUR
Backs (18): Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 37 caps, Harry Byrne (Leinster/Lansdowne) 2 caps, Joey Carbery (Munster/Clontarf) 32 caps, Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon) 5 caps, Keith Earls (Munster/Young Munster) 96 caps, Ciaran Frawley (Leinster/Skerries) uncapped, Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 17 caps, Mack Hansen (Connacht) 4 caps, Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers) 57 caps, James Hume (Ulster/Banbridge) 3 caps, Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 20 caps, Jordan Larmour (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 30 caps, James Lowe (Leinster) 12 caps, Michael Lowry (Ulster/Banbridge) 1 cap, Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 96 caps, Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster/Naas) uncapped, Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 42 caps, Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 105 caps CAPTAIN
Forwards (22): Ryan Baird (Leinster/Dublin University) 8 caps, Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 23 caps, Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 30 caps, Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 27 caps, Gavin Coombes (Munster/Young Munster) 2 caps, Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 17 caps, Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf) 57 caps, Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 116 caps, Dave Heffernan (Connacht/Buccaneers) 6 caps, Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 68 caps, Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 26 caps, Jeremy Loughman (Munster/Garryowen) uncapped, Joe McCarthy (Leinster/Dublin) uncapped, Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 84 caps, Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 2 caps, Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 43 caps, Cian Prendergast (Connacht) uncapped, James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 43 caps, Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 7 caps, Nick Timoney (Ulster/Banbridge) 2 caps, Kieran Treadwell (Ulster/Ballymena) 5 caps, Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 40 caps
SCOTLAND SQUAD FOR TOUR TO CHILE AND ARGENTINA
Forwards: Ewan Ashman (Sale Sharks) – 2 caps, Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors) – 22 caps, Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh Rugby) – 18 caps, Dave Cherry (Edinburgh Rugby) – 5 caps, Andy Christie (Saracens) – 1 cap, Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh Rugby) – 1 cap, Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) – 21 caps, Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors) – 4 caps, Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 21 caps, Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 47 caps, Grant Gilchrist (Captain) (Edinburgh Rugby) – 53 caps, Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs) – 67 caps, Jamie Hodgson (Edinburgh Rugby) – 5 caps, Ben Muncaster (Edinburgh Rugby) – uncapped, Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby) – 9 caps, Javan Sebastian (Scarlets) – 1 cap, Sam Skinner (Exeter Chiefs) – 20 caps, Rory Sutherland (Worcester Warriors) – 18 caps, George Turner (Glasgow Warriors) – 25 caps, Murphy Walker (Glasgow Warriors) – uncapped, Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby) – 49 caps, Glen Young (Edinburgh Rugby) – uncapped
Backs: Mark Bennett (Edinburgh Rugby) – 24 caps, Matt Currie (Edinburgh Rugby) – uncapped, Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby) – 27 caps, Adam Hastings (Gloucester Rugby) – 26 caps, George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 17 caps, Damian Hoyland (Edinburgh Rugby) – 4 caps, Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints) – 5 caps, Sam Johnson (Glasgow Warriors) – 24 caps, Huw Jones (Harlequins) – 31 caps, Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Rugby) – 31 caps, Rufus McLean (Glasgow Warriors) – 2 caps, Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) – 51 caps, Kyle Rowe (London Irish) – uncapped, Ollie Smith (Glasgow Warriors) – uncapped, Ross Thompson (Glasgow Warriors) – 1 cap, Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors) – 5 caps, Duhan van der Merwe (Worcester Warriors) – 16 caps, Ben White (London Irish) – 4 caps
ITALY SQUAD FOR SUMMER TESTS
Forwards: Pietro CECCARELLI (Brive, 21 caps), Simone FERRARI (Benetton Rugby, 34 caps), Danilo FISCHETTI (Zebre Parma, 20 caps), Ion NECULAI (Zebre Parma, uncapped), Ivan NEMER (Benetton Rugby, 6 caps), Cherif TRAORE ‘(Benetton Rugby, 14 caps), Epalahame FAIVA (Benetton Rugby, 4 caps), Gianmarco LUCCHESI (Benetton Rugby, 11 caps), Giacomo NICOTERA (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps), Niccolò CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 20 caps), Marco FUSER (Newcastle Falcons, 38 caps), Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby, 30 caps), David SISI (Zebre Parma, 21 caps), Andrea ZAMBONIN (Zebre Parma, 1 cap), Renato GIAMMARIOLI (Zebre Parma, 5 caps), Toa HALAFIHI (Benetton Rugby, 5 caps), Michele LAMARO (Benetton Rugby, 15 caps) – captain, Giovanni PETTINELLI (Benetton Rugby, 6 caps), Manuel ZULIANI (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps)
Backs: Manfredi ALBANESE (Transvecta Calvisano, uncapped), Alessandro FUSCO (Fiamme Oro Rugby / Zebre Parma, 6 caps), Alessandro GARBISI (Benetton Rugby, uncapped), Tommaso ALLAN (Harlequins, 61 caps), Giacomo DA RE (FEMI-CZ Rovigo / Benetton Rugby, uncapped), Paolo GARBISI (Montpellier, 18 caps), Juan Ignacio BREX (Benetton Rugby, 13 caps), Leonardo MARIN (Benetton Rugby, 5 caps), Tommaso MENONCELLO (Benetton Rugby, 1 cap), Marco ZANON (Pau, 12 caps), Pierre BRUNO (Zebre Parma, 3 caps), Ange CAPUOZZO (Grenoble, 2 caps), Edoardo PADOVANI (Benetton Rugby, 35 caps), Jacopo TRULLA (Zebre Parma, 7 caps)
WALES SQUAD FOR SOUTH AFRICA TEST SERIES
Forwards (19): Rhys Carre (Cardiff Rugby – 16 caps), Wyn Jones (Scarlets – 43 caps), Gareth Thomas (Ospreys – 10 caps), Ryan Elias (Scarlets – 27 caps), Dewi Lake (Ospreys – 5 caps), Sam Parry (Ospreys – 5 caps), Tomas Francis (Ospreys – 64 caps), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Rugby – 38 caps), Adam Beard (Ospreys – 34 caps), Ben Carter (Dragons – 6 caps), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys – 150 caps), Will Rowlands (Dragons – 18 caps), Taine Basham (Dragons – 10 caps), Taulupe Faletau (Bath Rugby – 89 caps), Dan Lydiate (Ospreys – 65 caps), Josh Navidi (Cardiff Rugby – 30 caps), James Ratti (Cardiff Rugby – uncapped), Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers – uncapped), Harry O’Connor (Scarlets – uncapped), Sam Wainwright (Saracens – uncapped)
Backs (14): Gareth Davies (Scarlets – 67 caps), Kieran Hardy (Scarlets – 11 caps), Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby – 33 caps), Gareth Anscombe (Ospreys – 31 caps), Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints – 100 caps) Captain, Rhys Patchell (Scarlets – 21 caps), George North (Ospreys – 102 caps), Nick Tompkins (Saracens – 20 caps), Owen Watkin (Ospreys – 31 caps), Johnny Williams (Scarlets – 5 caps, Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby – 39 caps), Alex Cuthbert (Ospreys – 51 caps), Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester Rugby – 16 caps), Liam Williams (Scarlets – 78 caps)
