A 25-player squad will arrive in Ireland on Sunday, 19 July and will be based at Clongowes Wood College before taking part in a series of fixtures against provincial opposition. The tour concludes on Saturday, 25 July, after a week of training, development and competitive match action.
The centrepiece of the tour will be the Provincial U19 Triangular Festival at Galway's Dexcom Stadium on Wednesday, 22 July, where IQ Rugby will take on Connacht U19 and Munster U19. The squad will then travel to Dublin for a final fixture against Ulster U19 at the IRFU High Performance Centre on Saturday, 25 July.
2026 IQ Rugby Ireland Provincial Tour Fixtures
Wednesday, 22 July - Provincial U19 Triangular Festival, Dexcom Stadium, Galway
- 12.30pm: Connacht U19 v IQ Rugby
- 1.30pm: IQ Rugby v Munster U19
Saturday, 25 July - IRFU High Performance Centre, Dublin
- 11.15am: IQ Rugby v Ulster U19
The IQ Rugby programme is designed to identify and support Irish Qualified players with the ability, ambition and potential to progress through the Irish rugby pathway. Players qualify through birth, parentage or grandparents born in Ireland and, while many participants are based in Britain, the programme continues to expand globally.
The 2026 touring squad reflects that international reach, with players travelling from the United Kingdom, France, Dubai and the Netherlands to represent IQ Rugby during the week-long tour.
Two players return from last year's Ireland tour, Henry Tanner and Charles Shortall. Shortall has already gained representative honours, having featured for the Ireland U18 Clubs side against Italy U18 in October 2025.
McGinnis continues: "To play in Ireland and be seen by provincial academy and pathway staff is one of the best opportunities to be selected into an Irish jersey."
The touring group will be led by Team Manager Ross Finlay and Head Coach Frank Taggart, supported by an experienced management team that includes Assistant Coaches John Clarke and Jordan Annett, Athletic Development Coach Darragh Williams, Team Physio Nathan Briganti and IQ Rugby Talent Coaches Kevin Maggs and Steve McGinnis.
IQ Rugby Squad - Ireland Provincial Tour 2026
Albie Robinson (JESS Dubai), Alexander Evans (Clongowes Wood College), Ben Georgiou (Wellington College), Ben Morrissy (Solihull School), Ben McMahon (Trent College), Benjamin Patterson (St Joseph's College Ipswich), Callum McGee (Glenalmond College), Charles Shortall (Rugby Club Massey, Essonne), Conor Mead (Abingdon School), Daniel Zimmern (Whitgift School), Elliot Young (Haberdashers Monmouth School), Eoghan Duncan (Marr College), Fergus Millar (Ipswich School), Freddie Galitzine-Scott (Sedbergh School), George Ravenscroft (Henley College), Henry Tanner (Exeter College), Heryck Gallimore (Taunton School), Jack Moore (Belvedere College SJ), Jack Saxton (Taunton School), Michael Keenan (St Albans School), Ronan Perkins (Bedford Modern School), Rory Stacey (St Bede's Bristol), Seán Smyth (Dulwich College), Tom Ravenscroft (Berkhamsted School) and Will Kenny (Glenalmond College).
IQ Rugby Management
Ross Finlay (Team Manager), Frank Taggart (Head Coach), John Clarke (Assistant Coach), Jordan Annett (Assistant Coach), Nathan Briganti (Team Physio), Darragh Williams (Athletic Development Coach), Patrick Hennessy (Team Logistics), Kevin Maggs (IQ Rugby Talent Coach), Steve McGinnis (IQ Rugby Talent Coach) and Lindsey Wordley (IQ Rugby Administrator).
For more information on the IQ Rugby programme and registration details for Irish Qualified players based overseas, visit the IQ Rugby page.