Ireland head coach Cullie Tucker has named a team containing 10 internationals for their Test against Spain in Leganés on Saturday (4pm Irish time, live on Rugby Pass TV).
Ulster hooker Tom Stewart will captain the side. His provincial team-mates duo Michael Lowry and Robert Baloucoune make up two of the back three alongside Connacht’s Shayne Bolton, who made a try-scoring senior debut during the summer against Portugal.
Former Ireland Under-20 international Dan Kelly, who won a cap for England, will partner Ulster’s Jude Postlethwaite in midfield, while Leinster outhalf Harry Byrne and Connacht’s Ben Murphy form the halfback pairing.
A big weekend for Ireland’s emerging rugby talent
In the pack, Michael Milne and Tom O’Toole join Stewart in an all-Test front row, with Evan O’Connell and Darragh Murray, who also made his senior debut in green during the Summer Tour, in the second row.
RM Block
Alex Soroka, Ruadhán Quinn and Paul Boyle complete the starting XV in the backrow.
The bench is a who’s who of former Irish Under-20s. Lee Barron, Alex Usanov, Scott Wilson, Diarmuid Mangan and David McCann make-up the forward reinforcements, while Nathan Doak, Cathal Forde and one-time Sevens star Zac Ward represent the backline options.
Ireland XV (v Spain): M Lowry (Ulster); R Baloucoune (Ulster), J Postlethwaite (Ulster), D Kelly (Munster), S Bolton (Connacht); H Byrne (Leinster), B Murphy (Connacht); M Milne (Munster), T Stewart (Ulster, capt), T O’Toole (Ulster); E O’Connell (Munster), D Murray (Connacht); A Soroka (Leinster), R Quinn (Munster), P Boyle (Connacht).
Replacements: L Barron (Munster), A Usanov (Leinster), S Wilson (Ulster), D Mangan (Leinster), D McCann (Ulster), N Doak (Ulster), C Forde (Connacht), Z Ward (Ulster).
