Ireland Squad Named to Complete 2020 Guinness Six Nations

The Ireland Coaching Team have named a 35-player squad to complete the final two rounds of the 2020 Guinness Six Nations Championships. Eight Munster players, including the uncapped Shane Daly, are named in the 35-man squad with Craig Casey and Fineen Wycherley also set to train with the squad. 23-year-old Daly has been selected after an impressive first season in the senior squad that saw him feature on the wing and full-back, scoring four tries in 14 appearances. The squad which will be captained by Johnny Sexton contains six uncapped players - Daly, Ryan Baird, Ed Byrne, Will Connors, Hugo Keenan and Jamison Gibson Park.  While Baird and Connors have been involved in national camps before it will be a first time with the national squad for the other uncapped players. In addition Casey, Wycherley, Harry Byrne, James Lowe and James Tracy will train with the squad next week at IRFU High Performance Centre in Dublin. Ireland take on  Italy at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday 24th October before facing France in Paris the following Saturday (31st). Ireland currently sit fourth on the Six Nations table one point behind Scotland and 4 points behind England and France who have all played an extra game. Back in February Ireland recorded wins over Scotland (19-12) and Wales (24-12) before losing to England (12-24) at Twickenham. Ireland Head Coach Andy Farrell commented, “There has been a huge effort right across Irish Rugby to ensure that the professional game could return safely and that work is greatly appreciated by the national management.  We have protocols in place to safeguard the welfare of the players and staff and are looking forward to completing the Six Nations Championships. "We have two competitions to play in over the coming months but will focus first on a strong finish to the 6 Nations Championships.   The return to rugby has not been without its challenges as some players have suffered injury setbacks and there has been limited playing opportunities ahead of a busy and exciting international window. "We will be closely monitoring the form and fitness of players competing in the Guinness PRO14 over the coming weeks."

Ireland Squad 2020 Guinness 6 Nations Championships Round 4 & 5

Backs (16) Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 26 caps Ross Byrne (Leinster/UCD) 6 caps Jack Carty (Connacht/Buccaneers) 10 caps Andrew Conway (Munster/Garryowen) 21 caps Shane Daly (Munster/Cork Con) uncapped Chris Farrell (Munster/Young Munster) 9 caps Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) uncapped Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers) 43 caps Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) uncapped Jordan Larmour (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 24 caps Kieran Marmion (Connacht/Corinthians) 27 caps Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor) 3 caps Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 81 caps Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 29 caps Jonathan Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 91 caps CAPTAIN Jacob Stockdale (Ulster/Lurgan) 28 caps Forwards (19) Ryan Baird (Leinster/Dublin University) uncapped Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Corinthians) 9 caps Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 13 caps Ed Byrne (Leinster/UCD) uncapped Will Connors (Leinster/UCD) uncapped Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 17 caps Caelan Doris (Leinster/UCD) 2 caps Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 98 caps Dave Heffernan (Connacht/Buccaneers) 1 cap Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 55 caps Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 11 caps Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Lansdowne) 3 caps Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 67 caps Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 26 caps Quinn Roux (Connacht/Galwegians) 12 caps James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 26 caps John Ryan (Munster/Cork Constitution) 21 caps CJ Stander (Munster/Shannon) 41 caps Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 26 caps

Training with Squad w/c 12th October

Harry Byrne (Leinster/Lansdowne) uncapped Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon) uncapped James Lowe (Leinster) uncapped James Tracy (Leinster/UCD) 6 caps Fineen Wycherley (Munster/Young Munster) uncapped