Interim Ireland head coach Paul O’Connell included a number of interesting selections in his 32-strong squad for this summer’s two Test matches, among them 11 uncapped players.
Although Georgia in Tbilisi on July 5th and Portugal in Lisbon a week later represent Tier 2 nations, it will be a challenge for O’Connell to whip his squad into a connected outfit and decide on his starting team.
With the Lions tour taking 15 frontline Irish players, the two matches represent a space for Ireland to build squad depth and for players to catch the eye.
“This tour presents an opportunity for those on the fringes to impress the coaching team,” said O’Connell. “A number of players have been really close to selection in recent times and it’s important that everyone grasps the challenge that’s ahead of them. Every moment on the training field and across the two-match series will count and there’s a great opportunity for players to step up and impress.”
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Obviously, players such as Finlay Bealham, by far the most experienced travelling player with 51 caps, Ryan Baird, Jacob Stockdale, Stuart McCloskey and Jack Crowley have plenty of Test matches in their lockers and O’Connell will look to them to see what they can bring in an entirely different squad environment. The Crowley and Sam Prendergast dynamic at outhalf will, naturally, roll on too.
Conor Murray, Peter O’Mahony and Cian Healy have left the international stage, which opens doors at scrumhalf, backrow and loosehead prop.
Munster scrumhalf Craig Casey seems like a natural choice as captain. His body language on the pitch from the beginning of his career has always suggested energy and purpose whether his shirt is red or green.
Casey’s Munster colleagues in the forwards, the uncapped Tom Ahern, Alex Kendellen and Michael Milne seem ripe for their first outing with Ahern talked about as a player coming through for a few years now.
Stephen Smyth from Leinster and Old Wesley is a name few will be familiar with. A Leinster academy player, Smyth started his rugby as a centre with Carlow Rugby Club, then played in the backrow at number eight with Kilkenny College before coaches saw him as a hooker. Two years playing Gaelic football with Carlow minors helped him along with his debut for Leinster last year against Connacht.
Ulster’s Cormac Izuchukwu, Nick Timoney and Tom Stewart have been included, but there is no place for the experience and leadership of 33-year-old secondrow Iain Henderson, who has 85 Irish caps and twice toured with the British and Irish Lions.
Having recently returned from long-term injuries, Henderson, as well as Ulster hooker Rob Herring, were not considered for selection to allow them to focus on a full pre-season programme, while Leinster and Ireland centre Robbie Henshaw was not available due to injury.
In the backs Shayne Bolton, Nathan Doak, Hugh Gavin, Ben Murphy and the in-form Tommy O’Brien are the uncapped five. It was O’Brien who has stood out recently on the Leinster wing and thoroughly deserves a crack at kicking his career forwards.
Murphy, the Connacht scrumhalf and son of Ulster coach Richie, was selected as a development player for Ireland during this year’s Six Nations, while Gavin is well known for his years with the Irish Under-20s as part of the 2023 Under-20 Grand Slam winning team, and as a finalist in the Under-20 World Rugby Cup.
A rounded and powerful 6’ 4’’ centre, the 21-year-old joined Connacht at the beginning of this season.
“Georgia have made great strides in recent years, and they have made significant investment in their rugby programme, which has established them amongst the leading emerging sides in international rugby,” said O’Connell.
Ireland’s current world ranking is three, with Georgia 11th, one place above Wales, and Portugal 18th.
“Under the experience of Richard Cockerill they have built on a traditionally strong forward unit with a talented backline and they will provide a tough test for us,” said O’Connell. “Portugal showcased their attacking prowess during the Rugby World Cup 2023 and Simon Mannix is a coach I know having worked with him previously [at Munster]. They play with confidence and we’re expecting another tough test.”
Five players have been involved with the Emerging Ireland team and six have gained experience in the national team environment.
Additionally, Ulster trio James McNabney, Jude Postlethwaite and Zac Ward have been included as training panellists and will link up with the squad at the IRFU High Performance Centre on Monday, June 23rd.
Ireland squad for Test matches against Georgia and Portugal
(* denotes uncapped)
Forwards (18)
Hookers: Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Tom Stewart (Ulster), Stephen Smyth (Leinster)*. Props: Jack Boyle (Leinster), Tom O’Toole (Ulster), Michael Milne (Munster)*, Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Thomas Clarkson (Leinster), Paddy McCarthy (Leinster)*. Locks: Ryan Baird (Leinster), Cormac Izuchukwu (Ulster), Darragh Murray (Connacht)*. Backrows: Cian Prendergast (Connacht), Gavin Coombes (Munster), Max Deegan (Leinster), Tom Ahern (Munster)*, Nick Timoney (Ulster), Alex Kendellen (Munster)*.
Backs (14)
Scrumhalves: Craig Casey (Munster, capt), Nathan Doak (Ulster)*, Ben Murphy (Connacht)*. Outhalves: Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Jack Crowley (Munster), Ciarán Frawley (Leinster). Centres: Hugh Gavin (Connacht)*, Stuart McCloskey (Ulster). Outside backs: Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster), Jamie Osborne (Leinster), Jacob Stockdale (Ulster), Calvin Nash (Munster), Tommy O’Brien (Leinster)*, Shayne Bolton (Connacht)*.
Training panellists: James McNabney (Ulster)*, Jude Postlethwaite (Ulster)*, Zac Ward (Ulster)*.
Fixtures (all Irish times)
Saturday, July 5th: Georgia v Ireland, Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi, 6pm
Saturday, July 12th: Portugal v Ireland, Estádio Nacional do Jamor, Lisbon, 7pm
