Rugby

20th Oct 2025

The all-time Ireland rugby XV of players that were hard done by

Colman Stanley

Some guys just didn’t get a fair chance.

Darren Cave once famously questioned whether his “face didn’t fit”, following his omission from Joe Schmidt’s Ireland squad in November 2013.

The Ulster centre struggled for Ireland caps throughout his career, despite consistently great form domestically and in Europe.

Many a player can relate to Cave’s woes, and below is our XV dedicated to those lost souls, destined to wonder ‘what if?’.

Loose head prop – Denis Buckley

One of, if not the most skilful front rower that has ever graced these shores.

Incredibly he never made an Ireland squad, even during his peak years.

In fairness to coaches and selectors, the Connacht stalwart always seemed to be injured at the most inconvenient times.

He also found himself behind Cian Healy, Jack McGrath, and Dave Kilcoyne.

Hooker – Niall Scannell

There aren’t a huge amount of options here, and Munster’s Scannell has won an admirable 20 caps for Ireland.

However, the last of those came in the 2019 World Cup quarter-final loss to the All Blacks.

Since then, he has had got into the habit of producing barnstorming performances for Munster in big European games, and may be thinking to himself that he could have had a few of the recent caps that have gone to Ulster’s Rob Herring.

Tighthead prop – Marty Moore

Back in 2015, a 24-year-old Moore was looking at 50 plus-cap Ireland career.

He was a perfect backup to Mike Ross as Ireland took home the Six Nations title that year, coming off the bench with 20-30 minutes to go and making hay with his barrelling runs.

But he chased the dollar in 2016 with a surprise move to Wasps, and despite performing well on his return to Ireland with Ulster in 2018, he failed to add to his 10 caps.

Lock – Donnacha Ryan

How can a 47-cap man be hard done by? Well, you have to have been as good as this man from Nenagh.

A lineout maestro and tough as nails around the park, Ryan should have finished with 60-70 appearances for Ireland.

And following his move to Racing 92 in 2017 after failing to secure a central contract, he proved in France that he had a few more seasons in him playing at the top level.

Lock – Gavin Coombes

We are taking a bit of liberty here, but the No 8 has started five games for Munster at second row, and played well at that.

He is the poster boy of this side, given the number of game-winning performances he racks up in a red jersey, only to be consistently left out of Ireland squads.

It really is a shame that he only has three caps.

Blindside flanker – Rhys Ruddock

Had he opted to play for Wales – the country in which raised – Ruddock may be looking back on 50-cap international career.

While the depth in Ireland resigned him to just 27, the fact that he made his international debut when he was just 19, and followed it up with 14 years of consistent excellent with Leinster, makes it baffling that hie did not win more.

Openside flanker – Roger Wilson

Cave also referenced his Ulster teammate Wilson when venting his frustrations over a lack of Ireland minutes.

The Ulster centre controversially said: “If you don’t know what I mean ask Roger Wilson how he’s one cap and Jamie Heaslip has 60 and two Lions tours.”

That sole cap came way back in 2005, on a tour to Japan, and he ended his career with over 200 appearances for Ulster and over 100 for Northampton.

Number eight – James Coughlan

Often sighted as the best player never to be capped by Ireland, and for good reason.

His destructive ball carrying was a huge asset to Munster in the post-Heineken Cup winning years, and he was awarded for his efforts with the player of the year trophy in 2011.

Scrum-half – John Cooney

If you look at the level he was performing at in the Champions Cup at his peak, and the competition favoured over him at Ireland, then Cooney is the most hard done by in this side.

An out-of-form Conor Murray was getting picked ahead of him, as well as a work-in-progress Jamison Gibson-Park, and a young Craig Casey.

Cooney has suggested a poor relationship with Johnny Sexton may have been a contributing factor.

He ended with 11 Ireland caps.

Out-half – Jack Carty

11 caps does not seem to do justice for the closest thing Ireland have had to Finn Russell.

While Joe Schmidt and Andy Farrell were mostly using Joey Carbery and Ross Byrne as backup to Johnny Sexton, they may have been better off utilising the services of the Connacht ten, who could give the defence a completely different picture.

Left wing – Matt Healy

Connacht’s record try scorer, and unstoppable circa 2016.

Thankfully he did end his career with one cap, won during Ireland’s tour to South Africa in 2016.

Unfortunately for the flyer, Joe Schmidt favoured aerial prowess, defence, and rucking, over speed and finishing ability.

Inside centre – Stuart McCloskey

He has had a late career resurgence with Ireland, but there were years spent mostly in international wilderness, despite being Ulster’s most valuable player.

Again, selectors and coaches can be forgiven, given the world-class talent ahead of him in Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, and Bundee Aki.

Outside centre – Tom Farrell

The reason behind this article.

Such was Farrell’s performances for Munster last season, that leaving him out of Ireland’s depleted summer squad was a strange call and a missed opportunity.

He is already 32, but may turn out to be a unicorn player, who hits his peak later in his career.

There was joy among Ireland fans when it announced that he was called up to Ireland’s squad for the upcoming Autumn Nations Series.