Critics of the decision to send an Emerging Ireland squad to South Africa for three matches against Currie Cup opposition may be less virulent in their disapproval following the announcement of the Ireland squad for the November Test series and a further 12 players who will be part of the Ireland A group to take on an All Blacks Development XV.
There are six uncapped players in the Irish senior squad, five of whom – Joe McCarthy, Jeremy Loughman, Cian Prendergast, Ciarán Frawley and Jimmy O’Brien – went on the summer tour to New Zealand.
The sixth, 25-year-old Munster wing Calvin Nash, was an impressive performer for the Emerging Ireland side in South Africa. A lengthy list of injured back three players – Hugo Keenan and Jacob Stockdale are named but still not currently playing – has contributed to his promotion but without the South African trip Nash would probably not be in the senior squad.
Educated at Crescent College Comprehensive in Limerick, he started playing rugby at 10 years of age with Young Munster and having played centre at school moved to the wing subsequently. He credited the Limerick club and playing All Ireland League rugby as playing a significant part in his development.
An age-grade player with Munster, he represented Ireland at under-18 and under-19, before winning his first cap for the Irish 20s against Italy in February 2017, a week after making his Munster senior debut while still a teenager (19) against Edinburgh. He went on captain the Ireland 20s in the remaining Six Nations matches that season, including a victory over France at Donnybrook.
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Nash was part of the Peter Malone-coached – he took over from Nigel Carolan after the Six Nations – Irish 20s that finished ninth in the Junior world Championship that summer, scoring three tries. He graduated from the Munster academy to a development contract, was part of the Champions Cup squad in the 2017-2018 season, during which he played seven matches scoring two tries.
He has been unlucky with injury in the interim and in the 5½ years since his Munster debut has managed 35 matches, scoring seven tries. He signed a two-year contract extension in February of last year. Nash impressed the Ireland senior coaching group with his work rate and game smarts on the Emerging Ireland tour.
While there is no argument that the quality of opposition in the first two games in South Africa was not great the net benefit for the players, but also the Irish coaches, is reflected in the squads announced yesterday.
Simon Easterby, who deputised for Andy Farrell as head coach in South Africa, said he accepted that the value of the tour would be reflected in players coming through to potentially play for Ireland A against the All Blacks Development XV and Ireland against Fiji. “That’s exactly what it’s about.
“We want them to come in and attack the few weeks and really put their hands up and hopefully enjoy the environment. There will be players who surprise us, the public and supporters with what they do, and maybe some of them just haven’t has that exposure at the higher level yet. It’s a win-win. We hope we get benefit from that and that there will be some continuity from the Maori trip to this and the New Zealand ‘A’ game [and Fiji].”
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The performances of Tom Ahern, Diarmuid Barron, Jack Crowley, Shane Daly, Max Deegan, Jamie Osborne, Scott Penny and Roman Salanoa in South Africa have cemented a place in the Ireland A squad; just look at the performance bounce some of those players gave Munster last weekend.
If even a small number emerge from the shadow national side to subsequently play against Fiji it will be a further vindication that sending a group of young players to South Africa under the Irish senior coaching group was ultimately a good decision and not the harbinger of woe for the provinces that some suggested beforehand.
