Ireland Squad Confirmed For Mini Camp
Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan has named an extended 34-man squad for a mini training camp which takes place next week.
…Front rowers Peter Bracken, Rory Best and Bryan Young who have each been included in the squad for the mini camp…
Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan has named an extended 34-man squad for a mini training camp which will take place next week.
The camp will take place in Dublin and run from Sunday, September 17 to Wednesday, September 20.
While there are some notable absentees due to injury and rehabilitation, there are also some new faces in the squad with Ireland ‘A’ front rowers John Fogarty and Tom Court making the list following their performances in the Churchill Cup during the summer. Other Churchill Cup squad members joining the mini camp are Paddy Wallace, Jamie Heaslip and Matt McCullough – all of whom have featured in previous Ireland senior squads.
Eddie O’Sullivan said: “The Churchill Cup has opened up other possible options, so we felt it was worth bringing some of the players into the senior set-up to take a closer look at them and monitor their progress.”
…The Ireland team huddle before the summer Test against Australia in Perth…
O’Sullivan can also welcome back some experienced players who missed the summer tour, with Simon Easterby, Frankie Sheahan, Eoin Reddan and John Kelly, who was forced to cry off the week before the squad departed for New Zealand, all returning to the fray.
With the return of these internationals, there are also some experienced players who have not been named in this particular squad. O’Sullivan pointed out that this does not rule them out of the Irish squad for the upcoming fixtures against South Africa, Australia and the Pacific Islands.
He confirmed: “While this camp allows us to look at our options, there are some players who toured New Zealand and Australia during the summer who are not part of this training camp, but this does not mean that these players will not be considered or figure in the Autumn Internationals.”
IRELAND SQUAD (MINI TRAINING CAMP):
Forwards (18):
Rory Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Neil Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Peter Bracken (Wasps)
Tom Court (Ulster/Dungannon)
Simon Easterby (Llaneli)
John Fogarty (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Keith Gleeson (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
Jamie Heaslip (Clontarf/Leinster)
Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster)
Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Matt McCullough (Ballymena/Ulster)
Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
Mick O’Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Alan Quinlan (Shannon/Munster)
Frankie Sheahan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
Bryan Young (Ballymena/Ulster)
Backs (16):
Isaac Boss (Ballymena/Ulster)
Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Girvan Dempsey (Terenure College/Leinster)
Gavin Duffy (Harlequins)
Anthony Horgan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Shane Horgan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Denis Hickie (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
John Kelly (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Geordan Murphy (Leicester)
Brian O’Driscoll (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Eoin Reddan (Wasps)
Jeremy Staunton (Wasps)
Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
Not considered due to injury:
Simon Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) {Leg)
Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster) {Shoulder}
Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster) {Shoulder}
John Hayes (Bruff/Munster) {Ankle}
Johnny O’Connor (Wasps) {Neck}
Malcolm O’Kelly (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) {Groin}
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