Ireland head coach Declan Kidney has named a 29 man squad that includes three uncapped players for the three test tour of New Zealand in June. Declan Fitzpatrick and Mike Sherry are included up front while Simon Zebo is named in the backs as is Darren Cave, who won two caps on the North American tour in 2009.
There are a number of spaces left vacant with a further prop, second row, back row and scrum half to be added before the squad departs for New Zealand.
Eyebrows will once more be raised at the inclusion on senior players, however Kidney knows that a full strength touring squad is expected of him by both the IRFU and the NZRU.
Brian O’Driscoll returns to the Ireland squad for the first time since the Rugby World Cup and has been confirmed as Captain for the tour.
Ireland Squad (New Zealand Tour 2012, June 9th, 16th and 23rd):
Forwards (16):
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
Declan Fitzpatrick (Dungannon /Ulster)*
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)
Sean O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
Mike Sherry (Garryowen/Munster)*
Dan Tuohy (Ballymena /Ulster)
A.N. Other
A.N. Other
A.N. Other
Backs (13):
Darren Cave ( Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster)
Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster)*
A.N. Other
*Denotes Uncapped Player
