Kiwi wing included in Ireland's Nations Cup squad
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Andy Farrell has named his Ireland squad for the upcoming Nations Cup.
Ulster flyhalf Billy Burns, newly eligible wing James Lowe and Shane Daly are the uncapped players in the squad.
Lowe, a star performer for the Chiefs in New Zealand before he moved to Ireland, was constantly overlooked for All Blacks selection. He is now set to make his international debut for Ireland in November.
Fit-again Keith Earls is also included in a squad where Jack Carty, the broken-jawed Garry Ringrose and Jack Conan step away.
Kieran Marmion and Quinn Roux will be available to Connacht this weekend in the Pro14 and will only join the national squad on Sunday. Conan, who was rehabbing an issue in camp, has an unspecified injury that has not settled and has return to Leinster to continue his rehab programme.
There is no room for Ulster scrumhalf John Cooney, who was called into the squad at the start of last week as injury cover for Jamison Gibson-Park who came right and appeared off the bench at Stade de France.
Ireland open their Nations Cup campaign at home to Wales on November 13, travel to England on November 21 before hosting Georgia at the Aviva Stadium on November 29. A play-off match against either Fiji, France, Italy or Scotland will follow on the first Saturday of December.
Ireland squad for Nations Cup
Forwards: Cian Healy, Ed Byrne, Andrew Porter, John Ryan, Finlay Bealham, Rob Herring, Ronan Kelleher, Dave Heffernan, Iain Henderson, James Ryan, Quinn Roux, Tadhg Beirne, Ultan Dillane, CJ Stander, Peter O'Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Carlan Doris, Will Connors.
Backs: Conor Murray, Kieran Marmion, Jamison Gibson-Park, Johnny Sexton (captain), Ross Byrne, Billy Burns, Bundee Aki, Robbie Henshaw, Chris Farrell, Stuart McCloskey, Keith Earls, Andrew Conway, Jacob Stockdale, James Lowe, Shane Daly, Hugo Keenan.