Robin Copeland, the 26-year-old Wexford-born, ex-Kilkenny College backrower with the Cardiff Blues, is one of seven uncapped players in Ireland’s enlarged 44-man squad for both the Irish Wolfhounds game against England on Saturday week and the Six Nations.
Akin to his predecessor Declan Kidney, by announcing an expanded panel from which a mixture of prospective Six Nations’ squad members and A players will play against the Saxons on Saturday week in Gloucester, Joe Schmidt will not reveal the make-up of the squad of 32 or so for the Six Nations until after that game.
Hence, how many of those uncapped players feature in the latter squad remains to be seen, but Copeland – an athletic, physical, strong-carrying and Munster-bound number eight – has taken a circuitous route to yesterday’s squad announcement and arrival at Munster next season.
A product of Kilkenny College and St Mary's AIL team, with whom he was a prolific try scorer, Copeland failed to progress through the Leinster ranks after coming through their Academy, and relaunched his career in 2010 in the unlikely surrounds of Plymouth Albion for a season and then a year with Rotherham Titans before joining Cardiff the season before last. He was certainly up for the daunting battle away to Toulon last Saturday.
Long-term absentee
With Seán O'Brien joining Stephen Ferris as a long-term absentee, the combination of loose forwards witnesses the most upheaval. Also promoted with Copeland is the 28-year-old South African-born Robbie Diack, now in his sixth season with Ulster, and another uncapped player in Leinster backrower Jordi Murphy, while the upwardly mobile Rhys Ruddock, and the fit-again duo of Ian Henderson and Tommy O'Donnell, each of whom were sidelined last November, are recalled.
O’Donnell, Henry and Murphy are the candidates to replace O’Brien, and given his speed and ball-carrying, O’Donnell would come closest to filling that huge void. Appearing as a replacement against the USA last June before scoring a try on his full debut in the win over the USA, O’Donnell is also a proper openside.
As significant in these enlarged squads are the names of those omitted and the Leinster blindside Kevin Mclaughlin, who has only started two games since featuring against the All Blacks as a replacement, along with the Munster number eight James Coughlan, miss out. The other selectorial casualty from last November’s squad is the London Irish-bound Tom Court.
That trio were not amongst those name-checked by Schmidt yesterday as those who could yet force their way into the Six Nations mix over the next couple of weeks while remaining with their provinces.
Uncapped prop
There is a return for David Kilcoyne and a surprise call-up for another residency-qualified player, New Zealand-born Rodney Ah You, as well as another uncapped prop, Leinster tighthead Marty Moore. Ulster's uncapped, Cape Town-born hooker, 23-year-old Rob Herring, who spent time in the London Irish academy, is included along with Damien Varley in the absence of Mike Sherry and Richardt Strauss. Herring's ball skills have impressed as a frequent understudy for Rory Best since joining Ulster in the summer of 2012, since when he has made 35 appearances for the province.
Donncha O’Callaghan again misses out, having played in every Six Nations since 2003. The one uncapped back is the Connacht scrumhalf Kieron Marmion, while Ian Keatley is amongst four outhalves ahead of JJ Hanrahan, and Darren Cave is recalled.
An IRFU statement quoted Schmidt as saying: “With Robin Copeland returning to play in Ireland next season it will be an opportunity for him to impress during the training week, while some of the younger or less experienced players such as Rob Herring, Iain Henderson, Rhys Ruddock, Kieran Marmion and Felix Jones have turned in some very positive performances to earn spots in the squad.”
With Bowe, Zebo and Gilroy all in a race against time to press their claims due to injuries, Andrew Trimble is back into the frame. The return to fitness and form of Luke Fitzgerald and Keith Earls is also welcome.
Aside from the fluidity of the wing positions and the identity of the openside for the Six Nations opener at home to Scotland on Sunday, February 2nd, the match-day squad should closely mirror the one which suffered that heartbreaking 24-22 defeat to New Zealand.
