A 26-man Emerging Ireland squad, including twenty uncapped players, has been named for the three-match IRB Nations Cup in Romania next month. The team will be captained by second row Mike McCarthy.
The Emerging Ireland squad will be coached by Connacht’s Dan McFarland (head coach) and with Ulster’s Neil Doak taking the assistant coach role.
Emerging Ireland’s first game of the tournament takes place on Friday, June 13 against Russia. They then play Uruguay on Wednesday, June 18 with the team’s final game of the IRB Nations Cup coming against hosts Romania on Sunday, June 22.
McFarland commented: “I am looking forward to working with Neil and this exciting group of players in what will be a highly competitive tournament. It is a great opportunity for players to showcase their abilities and represent their country.”
Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt added: “There is a good mix of experienced and younger players in this squad.
“They will face three tough fixtures as Romania have already qualified for the 2015 Rugby World Cup and both Uruguay and Russia are in the final stages of the Repechage for World Cup qualification.”
Players from last year’s Emerging Ireland squad who have subsequently been capped by Ireland at senior level include Dave Kearney, Jack McGrath, Martin Moore and Jordi Murphy.
A total of six players from the 2013 Emerging Ireland side will travel with the senior squad to Argentina in June – McGrath, Moore, Murphy, Robbie Diack, Rob Herring and Rhys Ruddock.
EMERGING IRELAND Squad (2014 IRB Nations Cup, Romania, June 13-22):
Backs (11) –
Michael Allen (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) *
Andrew Conway (Blackrock College/Munster) *
Craig Gilroy (Dungannon/Ulster)
Eoin Griffin (Galwegians/Connacht) *
JJ Hanrahan (UL Bohemians/Munster) *
Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster)
Brendan Macken (Blackrock College/Leinster) *
Paul Marshall (Ballymena/Ulster)
Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) *
Johne Murphy (Young Munster/Munster) *
Noel Reid (Clontarf/Leinster) *
Forwards (15) –
Niall Annett (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) *
Rodney Ah You (Buccaneers/Connacht) *
Michael Bent (Dublin University/Leinster)
Callum Black (Malone/Ulster) *
Paddy Butler (Shannon/Munster) *
Bryan Byrne (Clontarf/Leinster) *
Robin Copeland (Cardiff Blues) *
Sean Dougall (Dolphin/Munster) *
David Foley (UL Bohemians/Munster) *
Michael Kearney (Clontarf/Connacht) *
Mike McCarthy (Lansdowne/Leinster) (capt)
Tommy O’Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Dominic Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster) *
John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
James Tracy (UCD/Leinster) *
* Denotes uncapped player
EMERGING IRELAND FIXTURES:
Friday, June 13 –
EMERGING IRELAND v Russia, Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest, 4pm local time/2pm Irish time
Wednesday, June 18 –
EMERGING IRELAND v Uruguay, Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest, 4pm local time/2pm Irish time
Sunday, June 22 –
Romania v EMERGING IRELAND, Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest, 7pm local time/5pm Irish time
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