Munster centre James Downey is a late addition to Ireland’s tour of North America. The 32-year-old Dubliner was brought into last week’s training camp in Carton House as cover for Ulster’s Stuart Olding after the 20-year-old sustained an ankle injury in the Rabo Pro 12 final defeat to Leinster.
Olding passed a fitness test last Thursday but interim Irish head coach Les Kiss deemed it prudent to increase the touring party to 29 players. Downey ran at inside centre all last week and, besides Olding, there wasn’t another natural number 12 in the group.
Ian Madigan recently featured there for Leinster, following injury to Gordon D’Arcy, and against Italy in Rome last March when Luke Marshall was concussed. However, Kiss has stated he wants Madigan and Paddy Jackson to focus on controlling matters from outhalf.
Downey’s inclusion brings the number of uncapped players on tour to seven, although the Clontarf native is hardly inexperienced having spent time with Leinster, Connacht, Munster (twice), Calvisano in Italy and 148 appearances for the Northampton Saints from 2007 until returning to Munster this season.
Ireland face the USA in Houston this Saturday and Canada in Toronto seven days later. Both matches are being broadcast live on TG4.
Ireland squad
Props – Tom Court (Ulster), Jamie Hagan (London Irish), Declan Fitzpatrick (Ulster), Mike Ross (Leinster), David Kilcoyne (Munster).
Hookers – Sean Cronin (Leinster), Richardt Strauss (Leinster), Mike Sherry (Munster).
Secondrows – Mike McCarthy (Leinster), Devin Toner (Leinster), Dan Tuohy (Ulster).
Backrows — Peter O'Mahony (Munster, capt), Iain Henderson (Ulster), Kevin McLaughlin (Leinster), Chris Henry (Ulster), Tommy O'Donnell (Munster).
Scrumhalves – Isaac Boss (Leinster), Paul Marshall (Ulster), Kieran Marmion (Connacht).
Outhalves – Paddy Jackson (Ulster), Ian Madigan (Leinster).
Centres – Darren Cave (Ulster), Stuart Olding (Ulster), James Downey (Munster).
Fullback/Wingers – Robbie Henshaw (Connacht), Felix Jones (Munster), Fergus McFadden (Leinster), Andrew Trimble (Ulster), Simon Zebo (Munster).
