Four Changes To Ireland Squad For South Africa Tour

There are four changes to the Ireland squad that will travel to South Africa for a three-Test tour this month.

The national coaching team have called up Craig Gilroy, Matt Healy, Ian Madigan and Tiernan O’Halloran to replace Luke Fitzgerald, Dave Kearney, Jonathan Sexton and Rob Kearney who have been ruled out of the tour due to injury.
 
Fitzgerald, Dave Kearney and Sexton picked up injuries in last Saturday’s GUINNESS PRO12 final. Fitzgerald sustained a knee ligament injury, Kearney picked up a calf strain and Sexton injured his shoulder which has resulted in the player undergoing a minor procedure this week. All three players are expected to return to action at the start of next season.
 
Rob Kearney pulled up in training yesterday and a subsequent scan has shown a hamstring strain that will rule him out of the tour.

The inclusion of former Ireland Under-20 star O’Halloran and former Ireland Club international Healy means there are four uncapped players in the squad, with Sean Reidy and Quinn Roux already named to tour.
 
The squad departs for South Africa this Sunday and will play Tests in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth. Ireland last toured South Africa in 2004.
 
All three Tests will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. Visit irishrugby.ie and the IRFU’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube channel for all the latest news, images and videos from Ireland’s tour of South Africa.

IRELAND Squad (2016 Summer Tour of South Africa):

Backs (14) –

Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
Craig Gilroy (Dungannon/Ulster)
Matt Healy (Connacht) *
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster)
Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht)
Luke Marshall (Ballymena/Ulster)
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
Tiernan O’Halloran (Buccaneers/Connacht) *
Stuart Olding (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Jared Payne (Ulster)
Eoin Reddan (Old Crescent/Leinster)
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)

Forwards (18) –
 
Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) (capt)
Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
Ultan Dillane (Corinthians/Connacht)
Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)
Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) (vice-capt)
Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Sean Reidy (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) *
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
Quinn Roux (Galwegians/Connacht) *
Rhys Ruddock (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
CJ Stander (Munster)
Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster)
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
 
* Denotes uncapped player at Test level

Ireland Summer Tour Fixtures –

South Africa v IRELAND
Saturday, June 11
DHL Newlands Stadium, 5pm local time/4pm Irish time

South Africa v IRELAND
Saturday, June 18
Emirates Airline Park, 5pm local time/4pm Irish time

South Africa v IRELAND
Saturday 25th June, 2016
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, 5pm local time/4pm Irish time

Information on tickets to each of the three Tests can be found here.