Craig Casey captains hugely exciting Ireland rugby summer squad

An exciting group of players.

As expected, with 15 players away with the Lions, it is a young squad, bursting with potential.

It is a 32-man squad, with three training panellists, with 14 uncapped players in total.

The provincial breakdown is as follows: 12 Leinster, 10 Ulster, 7 Munster, 6 Connacht.

Munster scrum-half Craig Casey has been named as captain after a hugely impressive season, where he was unlucky to miss out on a Lions spot.

Ireland rugby summer squad:

Player/Club/Province/Caps

Forwards (18):

Tom Ahern (Shannon/Munster)*
Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(27)
Finlay Bealham (Corinthians/Connacht)(51)
Jack Boyle (UCD/Leinster)(2)
Thomas Clarkson (Dublin University/Leinster)(6)
Gavin Coombes (Young Munster/Munster)(2)
Max Deegan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(2)
Cormac Izuchukwu (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(1)
Alex Kendellen (UCC/Munster)*
Gus McCarthy (UCD/Leinster)(4)
Paddy McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)*
Michael Milne (UCD/Munster)*
Darragh Murray (Buccaneers/Connacht)*
Tom O’Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(16)
Cian Prendergast (UCD/Connacht)(4)
Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley/Leinster)*
Tom Stewart (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(2)
Nick Timoney (Banbridge/Ulster)(3)

Backs (14):

Shayne Bolton (Connacht)*
Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster)(captain)(18)
Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(24)
Nathan Doak (Banbridge/Ulster)*
Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(8)
Hugh Gavin (Galwegians/Connacht)*
Stuart McCloskey (Bangor/Ulster)(19)
Ben Murphy (Clontarf/Connacht)*
Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(10)
Jimmy O’Brien (Naas/Leinster)(8)
Tommy O’Brien (UCD/Leinster)*
Jamie Osborne (Naas/Leinster)(7)
Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster)(8)
Jacob Stockdale (Lurgan/Ulster)(38)

Training Panellists:

James McNabney (City of Armagh/Ulster)*
Jude Postlethwaite (City of Armagh/Ulster)*
Zac Ward (Ballynahinch/Ulster)*

*denotes uncapped

Ireland Summer Tour Fixtures

Saturday, 5th July: Georgia v Ireland, Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi (kick off 9pm local time, 6pm Irish time). Tickets are available now from the Georgian Rugby Union – here.

Saturday, 12th July: Portugal v Ireland, Estádio Nacional do Jamor, Lisbon (kick off 7pm local, same Irish time). Tickets are available now from the Portugal Rugby Union – here.