Head coach Andy Farrell has appointed James Ryan as captain of Ireland’s 37-man squad for their mid-year Tests against Japan and the USA in Dublin in July.
The match against Japan is scheduled to take place on Saturday, 3 July and the fixture against the USA is pencilled in for Saturday, 10 July. Both fixtures are part of the Irish government’s outdoor pilot sport-event programme which will allow limited supporters back in the Aviva Stadium.
Ryan has been named as the team’s captain, while Farrell selected 11 uncapped players in the squad. They are Robert Baloucoune, Tom O’Toole, Nick Timoney (Ulster), Caolin Blade, Tom Daly, Paul Boyle (Connacht), Harry Byrne, Peter Dooley, Ross Molony (Leinster), Gavin Coombes, Fineen Wycherley (Munster).
‘I know the players will come in eager to make the most of this opportunity to pull on the green jersey and play in front of supporters at the Aviva Stadium for the first time in 18 months,’ Farrell said. ‘Johnny [Sexton], Cian [Healy] and Keith [Earls] will not be involved in this window as we grow the experience of other players. It will be a great opportunity to see can this group perform at this level.
‘We now have two games at home to focus on, which will be a good challenge for the group. Japan played the Sunwolves at the weekend and will play the Lions the week before we play at the Aviva Stadium and we know the quality of their squad from the World Cup.’
Ireland squad:
Forwards – Ryan Baird (Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Paul Boyle (Connacht), Ed Byrne (Leinster), Gavin Coombes (Munster), Ultan Dillane (Connacht), Peter Dooley (Leinster), Caelan Doris (Leinster), Dave Heffernan (Connacht), Rob Herring (Ulster), Ronan Kelleher (Leinster), Dave Kilcoyne (Munster), Ross Molony (Leinster), Peter O’Mahony (Munster), Tom O’Toole (Ulster), James Ryan (Leinster, captain), John Ryan (Munster), Nick Timoney (Ulster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster), Fineen Wycherley (Munster).
Backs – Will Addison (Ulster), Robert Baloucoune (Ulster), Caolin Blade (Connacht), Billy Burns (Ulster), Harry Byrne (Leinster), Joey Carbery (Munster), Craig Casey (Munster), Andrew Conway (Munster), Shane Daly (Munster), Tom Daly (Connacht), Chris Farrell (Munster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster), Hugo Keenan (Leinster), Jordan Larmour (Leinster), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Jacob Stockdale (Ulster).
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