Ireland announces strong squad for Boks
TEAM NEWS: Ireland coach Andy Farrell received the good news that several players who were struggling with injuries, have been cleared and were included in the squad ahead of games against the All Blacks XV at The RDS and the Springboks at Aviva Stadium this weekend.
Fullback Hugo Keenan, scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park, and openside flanker Josh van der Flier all came through training with flying colours and forms part of the 49-strong squad.
Unfortunately, Tom Ahern has been ruled out of involvement in this week's Ireland 'A' fixture but Diarmuid Barron, Caolin Blade, Jack Crowley, Shane Daly, Max Deegan, James Hume, Dave Kilcoyne, Marty Moore and Scott Penny all came through the weekend's URC action without issue to join the squad.
Jamie Osborne and Roman Salanoa have both been declared fit after completing the return-to-play protocols while Connacht lock Gavin Thornbury has been called up in place of Ahern.
Nathan Doak and Tom Stewart, who both featured in the Emerging Ireland side in Bloemfontein, will also join the squad later in the week.
Ireland 'A' take on a strong All Blacks XV squad featuring Damian McKenzie, TJ Perenara, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Patrick Tuipulotu on Friday night - tickets are available here.
The Ireland squad will continue its preparation for the sold-out opening fixture of the year-end Tests against Jacques Nienaber’s Springbok side at the IRFU high-performance Centre this week.
Ireland squad
Backs (16)
Robert Baloucoune (Ulster/Enniskillen) 2 caps
Joey Carbery (Munster/Clontarf) 35 caps
Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon) 5 caps
Ciaran Frawley (Leinster/Skerries) uncapped
Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 20 caps
Mack Hansen (Connacht) 6 caps
Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers) 60 caps
Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 23 caps
Michael Lowry (Ulster/Banbridge) 1 cap
Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 99 caps
Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor) 6 caps
Calvin Nash (Munster/Young Munster)
Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster/Naas) uncapped
Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 44 caps
Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 108 caps CAPTAIN
Jacob Stockdale (Ulster/Lurgan) 35 caps
Forwards (21)
Ryan Baird (Leinster/Dublin University) 8 caps
Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 25 caps
Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 33 caps
Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 30 caps
Gavin Coombes (Munster/Young Munster) 2 caps
Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 20 caps
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf) 60 caps
Dave Heffernan (Connacht/Buccaneers) 7 caps
Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 118 caps
Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 28 caps
Jeremy Loughman (Munster/Garryowen) uncapped
Joe McCarthy (Leinster/Dublin) uncapped
Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 87 caps
Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 3 caps
Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 46 caps
Cian Prendergast (Connacht) uncapped
James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 46 caps
Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 10 caps
Nick Timoney (Ulster/Banbridge) 2 caps
Kieran Treadwell (Ulster/Ballymena) 8 caps
Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 43 caps
Ireland 'A':
Diarmuid Barron (Munster/Garryowen)
Caolin Blade (Connacht/Galwegians) 1 cap
Jack Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution)
Shane Daly (Munster/Cork Constitution) 2 caps
Max Deegan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 1 cap
James Hume (Ulster/Banbridge) 3 caps
Dave Kilcoyne (Munster/UL Bohemians) 48 caps
Marty Moore (Ulster) 10 caps
Jamie Osbourne (Leinster/Naas)
Scott Penny (Leinster/UCD)
Roman Salanoa (Munster/Shannon)
Gavin Thornbury (Connacht)