Andy Farrell has named four uncapped players in his 42-strong summer training squad as Ireland ramp up their preparations for the Summer Nations Series and Rugby World Cup 2023.
Ulster hooker Tom Stewart, Leinster backs Ciaran Frawley and Jamie Osborne and Munster winger Calvin Nash are rewarded for their performances for their Provinces and could win their first caps later this year.
Johnny Sexton is among the high-profile selections, with the fly-half set to retire following the conclusion of this year’s World Cup, while Munster trio Jean Kleyn, Shane Daly and John Hodnett are amongst those to have narrowly missed out on selection.
The squad will assemble at the IRFU High Performance Centre on 18th June for the first block of pre-season and will train at their Dublin base throughout June and July.
They will then put the final touches to their Paris preparations with home matches against Italy and England before a fixture against Samoa at Stade Jean-Dauger in Bayonne on the final weekend of August.
Farrell is then expected to announce his final 33-player World Cup squad in late August following a warm-weather training camp in Portugal.
Farrell said: “It is exciting to announce our extended training squad for the first phase of Rugby World Cup preparations, and we’re looking forward to assembling in Dublin next month to hit the ground running as a group.
“It’s pleasing to see that selection has been as tough as ever, as real quality players have initially been unfortunate to have missed out. I’m sure that camp will be competitive enough as we grow minds and bodies and look to push on with our game from last season.
“In the meantime, it’s important that we freshen up for a busy and exciting summer ahead, so we’re ready to get to work on 18th June and build towards the Bank of Ireland Nations Series and to France beyond that.”
Ireland Training Squad
Forwards (22)
Ryan Baird (Leinster) Finlay Bealham (Connacht) Tadhg Beirne (Munster) Jack Conan (Leinster) Gavin Coombes (Munster) Caelan Doris (Leinster) Tadhg Furlong (Leinster) Cian Healy (Leinster) Iain Henderson (Ulster) Rob Herring (Ulster) Ronan Kelleher (Leinster) Dave Kilcoyne (Munster) Joe McCarthy (Leinster) Peter O’Mahony (Munster) Tom O’Toole (Ulster) Andrew Porter (Leinster) Cian Prendergast (Connacht) James Ryan (Leinster) Dan Sheehan (Leinster) Tom Stewart (Ulster)* Kieran Treadwell (Ulster) Josh van der Flier (Leinster)
Backs (20)
Bundee Aki (Connacht) Caolin Blade (Connacht) Ross Byrne (Leinster) Craig Casey (Munster) Jack Crowley (Munster) Keith Earls (Munster) Ciaran Frawley (Leinster)* Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster) Mack Hansen (Connacht) Robbie Henshaw (Leinster) Hugo Keenan (Leinster) James Lowe (Leinster) Stuart McCloskey (Ulster) Conor Murray (Munster) Calvin Nash (Munster)* Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster) Jamie Osborne (Leinster)* Garry Ringrose (Leinster) Jonathan Sexton (Leinster) Jacob Stockdale (Ulster)
*denotes uncapped player
