Interim Ireland head coach Simon Easterby has named uncapped Leinster prop Jack Boyle in a 36-man squad for the Guinness Six Nations.
The 22-year-old Boyle has been selected ahead of Ulster’s Tom O’Toole, who is unavailable for his country’s first two games of the tournament due to suspension following his red card against Munster.
Having taken temporary charge of the team while Andy Farrell oversees this year’s British and Irish Lions tour to Australia, defence coach Easterby has made few alterations from the autumn.
Injury Returns
Hooker Dan Sheehan and wing James Lowe are both included and will link up with the squad on Sunday, January 26, subject to successful returns from injury with Leinster.
Sheehan has been out with a damaged anterior cruciate ligament since last summer’s tour to South Africa, while Lowe sustained a calf issue during the the 22-19 win over Australia on November 30
Versatile back Jimmy O’Brien and back-rower Jack Conan are also back after injuries.
Connacht’s Caolin Blade is selected as third-choice scrum-half behind Jamison Gibson-Park and Conor Murray due to Craig Casey’s knee injury.
Centre Stuart McCloskey, who has a hamstring problem, Ulster team-mates Jacob Stockdale and Nick Timoney and Connacht hooker Dave Heffernan are the other players omitted from the last squad selected by Farrell.
Uncapped quartet Hugh Cooney, James McNabney, Ben Murphy and Cathal Forde will join the group as development players.
Ireland begin their quest for an unprecedented third successive Championship title on Saturday, February 1 when England visit the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Six Nations Excitement
Easterby said: “The Guinness Six Nations is one of the most keenly contested competitions in the global calendar and there’s great excitement across the playing group and coaching team for this year’s tournament.
“Personally I’m hugely excited to work with a talented group and speaking to the players you can sense that they are up for the challenge.
“One of the highlights from the recent Autumn Nations Series was the emergence of a number of new internationals in Thomas Clarkson, Cormac Izuchukwu, Gus McCarthy and Sam Prendergast.
“We are also delighted to welcome back a number of players who were unavailable for the recent Autumn Nations Series and their return will further boost competition levels across the panel.
“While there is a good sense of continuity in selection, having those players back massively increases our competitiveness.
“The thing about the Six Nations is that you have to hit the ground running and there’s no room for building or easing your way into competition. Every match counts and facing England at home in the first round sharpens everyone’s mind to what will be a big task ahead.”
READ MORE: Simon Easterby welcomes return of Leinster quartet ahead of Ireland’s Six Nations title defence
Squad
Backs – B Aki (Connacht), C Blade (Connacht), J Crowley (Munster), C Frawley (Leinster), J Gibson-Park (Leinster), M Hansen (Connacht), R Henshaw (Leinster), H Keenan (Leinster), J Lowe (Leinster), C Murray (Munster), C Nash (Munster), J O’Brien (Leinster), J Osborne (Leinster), S Prendergast (Leinster), G Ringrose (Leinster).
Forwards – R Baird (Leinster), F Bealham (Connacht), T Beirne (Munster), J Boyle (Leinster), T Clarkson (Leinster), J Conan (Leinster), C Doris (Leinster, capt), T Furlong (Leinster), C Healy (Leinster), I Henderson (Ulster), R Herring (Ulster), C Izuchukwu (Ulster), R Kelleher (Leinster), G McCarthy (Leinster), J McCarthy (Leinster), P O’Mahony (Munster), A Porter (Leinster), C Prendergast (Connacht), J Ryan (Leinster), D Sheehan (Leinster), J van der Flier (Leinster).
