No captain as yet and no update on the condition of injured senior players Jamie Heaslip, Rob Kearney and Sean Cronin as Joe Schmidt has announced a largely developmental 31 man squad for next month’s tour of the USA and Japan.
None of this trio are considered long term absentees but non selection – Heaslip (back), Kearney (bicep and knee), Cronin (neck) – appears to end their chances of a call up to the British and Irish Lions in New Zealand.
Garry Ringrose and Simon Zebo do, however, remain firmly in that category. Cian Healy, whose 67 caps make him the most experienced tourist, may also be on Warren Gatland’s secret list.
Schmdit is expected to reveal his tour leader on May 31st. Luke McGrath has captained Leinster this season but is not guaranteed the starting scrumhalf role due to Kieran Marmion’s presence.
A fourth lock will be added after the weekend’s Pro 12 semi-finals – Leinster face Scarlets while Munster host Ospreys – and Connacht play Northampton in the Champions Cup qualifier.
It will not be Donnacha Ryan. Despite the 33 year old Tipperary man producing arguably his best ever season for Ireland, his imminent departure to join Ronan O’Gara at Racing 92 sees him removed from consideration.
Billy Holland was capped against Canada last year while Schmidt has continually returned to South African born Quinn Roux, despite a lengthy injury profile, as a tighthead scrum option.
Devin Toner is already joined by uncapped duo Kieran Treadwell and James Ryan.
Ryan is the most interesting selection as the hugely talented prospect is set to become the first man since Brian O’Driscoll to play for Ireland before his Leinster debut. A badly torn hamstring playing for UCD stalled the 2016 Ireland under-20s captain’s rise this season.
Schmidt was so keen to get the former St Michael’s College man on tour that a temporary switch to Munster colours was arranged last weekend when he featured against the Ireland under-20s.
Returning Munster fly-half JJ Hanrahan was overlooked after only starting twice in Northampton’s last 20 matches so Joey Carbery will press Paddy Jackson for selection at outhalf.
Jackson was unable to travel to Chicago last November so Carbery replaced an injured Johnny Sexton to impressively close out the historic victory over New Zealand.
Other exiles not considered include Wasps prop Marty Moore but the tighthead cover at Leinster has improved dramatically of late with loosehead prospect Andrew Porter making a speedy transition to number three.
Porter travels alongside John Ryan and Finlay Bealham with those close to the 21 year old’s development expecting him to become Tadhg Furlong’s primary understudy sooner rather than later.
The squad enter a pre-tour camp in Carton House on May 30th before departing for New Jersey the following Monday.
Eight uncapped players – John Cooney, Dave Heffernan, Rory O’Loughlin, Porter, Ryan, Rory Scannell, Jacob Stockdale, Treadwell – and another 14 with single figure appearances reveals a selection policy clearly focused on the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
“We have retained a sprinkling of experienced players, some of whom may yet be called up to the Lions,” said Schmidt via email, “but the focus is really on challenging the younger players to cope with the heat and foreign conditions as well as the speed and physicality of test rugby.”
Overall, as has always been the Schmidt way, reputation is superseded by form. The winger slots were the most competitive with Ulster captain Andrew Trimble, Craig Gilroy, Adam Byrne, Darren Sweetnam and Niyi Adeolokun edged out by Keith Earls, Andrew Conway, O’Loughlin and Jacob Stockdale.
The tour’s development theme continues in the coaching staff with O’Gara, Girvan Dempsey and Felix Jones involved for overlapping periods throughout the three weeks.
The US Eagles, led by former All Black coach John Mitchell, includes two Irish born players in AJ MacGinty and John Quill.
All three tests will be televised in Ireland but the rights have yet to be awarded. The IRFU have confirmed that Sky Sports are not the holders. NBC are showing the US Eagles game live in America while TG4 and eir Sport (who broadcast Ireland’s victory over the All Blacks in Chicago last November) both hoping to secure the match live from the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey on June 10th (kick-off 10pm Irish time).
Both stations are also interested in the two Japan tests in Shizuoka on June 17th (6am) and Tokyo on June 24th (6.40am).
TG4 are showing Connacht’s European play-off qualifier against Northampton this Saturday.
Ireland squad to tour the USA and Japan:
Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht) 6 caps
Joey Carbery (Clontarf/Leinster) 3 caps
Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 1 cap
Andrew Conway (Garryowen/Munster) 1 cap
John Cooney (Connacht) uncapped
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 59 caps
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 67 caps
Dave Heffernan (Connacht/Buccaneers) uncapped
Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster) 23 caps
Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster) 17 caps
Dan Leavy (UCD/Leinster) 2 caps
Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht) 13 caps
Luke Marshall (Ballymena/Ulster) 9 caps
Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) 1 cap
Tommy O’Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster) 12 caps
Jack O’Donoghue (UL Bohemians/Munster) 1 cap
Tiernan O’Halloran (Buccaneers/Connacht) 3 caps
Rory O’Loughlin (Old Belvedere/Leinster) uncapped
Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster) uncapped
Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster) 8 caps
Rhys Ruddock (St Mary’s College/Leinster) 13 caps
James Ryan (UCD/Leinster) uncapped
John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster) 6 caps
Niall Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) 4 caps
Rory Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) uncapped
Jacob Stockdale (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) uncapped
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 47 caps
James Tracy (UCD/Leinster) 2 caps
Kieran Treadwell (Ballymena/Ulster) uncapped
Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster) 7 caps
Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster) 33 caps
Ireland Squad Summer Tour 2017 - USA & Japan Fixtures:
USA v IRELAND
Saturday 10th June, 2017, KO 17:00 (BST 22:00)
Red Bull Arena, New Jersey, USA
Japan v IRELAND
Saturday 17th June, 2017 KO 14:00 (BST 06:00)
Ecopa Stadium, Shizuoka, Japan
Japan v IRELAND
Saturday 24th June, 2017 KO 14:40 (BST 06:40)
Ajinomoto Stadium, Tokyo, Japan
