The 35-man Emerging Ireland squad that will travel to South Africa to play three matches later this month largely consists of players who have excelled while representing the national side at Under-20 international age grade level of the past three years.
There are just four capped players in the travelling party Robert Baloucoune (two), Shane Daly (two), Max Deegan (one) and Caolin Blade (one) under the coaching baton of acting head coach Simon Easterby, who will be assisted by Mike Catt, Paul O’Connell and John Fogarty. There is a place for French born, Irish qualified, Munster recruit Antoine Frisch.
Emerging Ireland will have a three-day camp in the IRFU’s High Performance Centre in Dublin before flying to Bloemfontein to play against three Currie Cup sides, the Griquas, Pumas and Cheetahs. Included in the squad are three players who featured against the Māori All Blacks during the summer Ciaran Frawley, Joe McCarthy and Cian Prendergast.
Chay Mullins and Andrew Smith, both of whom won bronze medals with the Ireland team at the recent Seven World Cup in Cape Town will return to South Africa. Leinster centre-cum-fullback Jamie Osborne and Munster secondrow Tom Ahern have both trained with the senior Ireland squad as development players.
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Eight players, Tom Clarkson, Brian Deeny, Jake Flannery, John Hodnett, Michael Milne, Scott Penny, Callum Reid and Dylan Tierney-Martin were members of the Ireland U20 side that won a Six Nations Grand Slam in 2019, and two, number eight James Culhane and Mullins who replicated that feat in 2022.
David Nucifora, IRFU Performance Director said: “This Emerging Ireland tour is of vital strategic importance in a Rugby World Cup year. It will put some stress on our player resources but it will provide an opportunity for emerging talent to impress the national coaches early in a World Cup season. As these players return to their provinces their progress can be monitored and supported so that they remain part of the national team picture.
“The three games in Bloemfontein and the game against the All Blacks XV in Dublin provide an incredible opportunity for these players to gain experience in the national environment and force their way into the coaches’ thinking for the season ahead.”
Andy Farrell, Ireland head coach, admitted: “This opportunity provides another window for players to develop and show they can thrive in the intensity of a national environment. It will be exciting to see which players step up and put themselves in the frame for a further opportunity to impress in November.
For some players it is an opportunity to build on what they have already learned in national camp and take their development to the next level, for others it is a first opportunity to show the national coaches what they are about and what they can deliver.”
Emerging Ireland Squad: Robert Baloucoune (Ulster/Enniskillen), Caolin Blade (Connacht/Galwegians), Jack Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution), Shane Daly (Munster/Cork Constitution), Nathan Doak (Ulster/Banbridge), Jake Flannery (Ulster/Shannon), Antoine Frisch (Munster), Ciaran Frawley (Leinster/UCD), Michael McDonald (Ulster), Ethan McIlroy (Ulster/Queens RFC), Stewart Moore (Ulster/Malone), Chay Mullins (Connacht/IQ Rugby), Calvin Nash (Munster/Young Munster)
Jamie Osbourne (Leinster/Naas), Andrew Smith (Leinster/Clontarf), Tom Ahern (Munster/Shannon)
Diarmuid Barron (Munster/Garryowen), Tom Clarkson (Leinster/Dublin University), James Culhane (Leinster/UCD), Max Deegan (Leinster/Lansdowne), Brian Deeny (Leinster/Clontarf), John Hodnett (Munster/UCC), Sam Illo (Connacht), Cormac Izuchukwu (Ulster/Ballynahinch), Alex Kendellen (Munster/UCC), Joe McCarthy (Leinster/Dublin University), Michael Milne (Leinster/UCD), Scott Penny (Leinster/UCD), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), Callum Reid (Ulster/Banbridge), Roman Salonoa (Munster/Shannon), Alex Soroka (Leinster/Clontarf), Tom Stewart (Ulster/Ballynahinch), Dylan Tierney-Martin (Connacht/Corinthians), Josh Wycherley (Munster/Young Munster)
Emerging Ireland Toyota Challenge Fixtures 2022
Windhoek Draught Griquas vs Emerging Ireland
Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa
Friday 30th September 2022, KO 12:45 (Irish time)
Airlink Pumas vs Emerging Ireland
Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa
Wednesday 5th October 2022, KO 16:00 (Irish time)
Toyota Cheetahs vs Emerging Ireland
Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa
Sunday 9th October 2022, KO 12:00 (Irish time)
