Ulster’s Rob Herring and Robbie Diack have been included in the extended Ireland squad for the RBS 6 Nations.
*uncapped
Ulster’s Rob Herring and Robbie Diack have been included in the extended Ireland squad for the RBS 6 Nations.
The pair are among seven uncapped players in the squad with Connacht prop, Rodney Ah You, Leinster’s Martin Moore and Jordi Murphy, Cardiff’s Robin Copeland and scrum-half Kieran Marmion also named.
In total there are ten Ulster players on the panel with Rory Best, Iain Henderson, Chris Henry, Dan Tuohy, Darren Cave, Paddy Jackson, Luke Marshall and Andrew Trimble, joining Herring and Diack.
Ireland's opening fixture of the 6 Nations is against Scotland in the Aviva Stadium on Sunday 2nd February. Reigning 6 Nations champions Wales visit Dublin six days later and Ireland then travel to Twickenham to face England on the 22nd February.
Ireland's final home game of the Championships is against Italy on 8th March before the team travels to Paris to take on Saint-Andre's French side on the 15th March. Ireland's three home games in the Aviva Stadium are sold out.
The O2 Ireland Wolfhounds will play England Saxons in Kingsholm, Gloucester on Saturday 25th January with a mixture of youth and experience likely to make up the squad selected for this match.
Head Coach Joe Schmidt, explained, "As always a number of the selections were very tight. Following on from the Guinness Series, there is an experienced core of players in the squad who will offer continuity, as well as some new additions who have been selected with an eye to the future.
With Robin Copeland returning to play in Ireland next season it will be an opportunity for him to impress during the training week, while some of the younger or less experienced players such as Rob Herring, Iain Henderson, Rhys Ruddock, Kieran Marmion and Felix Jones have turned in some very positive performances to earn spots in the squad.”
A number of players currently injured or returning from injury will remain with their provinces to gain further recovery time or game time.
They include Richardt Strauss, Donnacha Ryan, Roger Wilson, Tommy Bowe, Simon Zebo, Declan Fitzpatrick and Craig Gilroy. Some of these players may yet return for 6 Nations test matches.
Ireland extended 44-man squad for RBS 6 Nations: Forwards: Rodney Ah You (Connacht)*, Stephen Archer (Munster), Rory Best (Ulster), Robin Copeland (Cardiff Blues)*, Sean Cronin (Leinster), Robbie Diack (Ulster)*, Cian Healy (Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster), Iain Henderson (Ulster), Chris Henry (Ulster), Rob Herring (Ulster)*, David Kilcoyne (Munster), Mike McCarthy (Leinster), Jack McGrath (Leinster), Martin Moore (Leinster)*, Jordi Murphy (Leinster)*, Paul O'Connell (Munster), Tommy O'Donnell (Munster), Peter O'Mahony (Munster), Mike Ross (Leinster), Rhys Ruddock (Leinster), Devin Toner (Leinster), Dan Tuohy (Ulster), Damian Varley (Munster).
Backs: Isaac Boss (Leinster), Darren Cave (Ulster), Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster), Keith Earls (Munster), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster), Robbie Henshaw (Connacht), Paddy Jackson (Ulster), Felix Jones (Munster), David Kearney (Leinster), Rob Kearney (Leinster), Ian Keatley (Munster), Ian Madigan (Leinster), Kieran Marmion (Connacht), Luke Marshall (Ulster), Fergus McFadden (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster), Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster), Eoin Reddan (Leinster), Jonathan Sexton (Racing Metro 92), Andrew Trimble (Ulster).