Five new faces in 40-man Ireland squad to tour New Zealand

Some fresh faces sprinkled in with proven performers and veterans making their final tour to 'The Land of the Long White Cloud'.

Andy Farrell has announced his Ireland squad for the five-match summer tour to New Zealand. The Ireland coach has named a 40-man squad to face New Zealand in three Tests, with two midweek games against the Maori All Blacks. There are five uncapped players included in a squad that will be captained by Johnny Sexton. The lucky quarter are Ciaran Frawley, Joe McCarthy, Jeremy Loughman, Jimmy O'Brien and Cian Prendergast.

IRELAND SQUAD FOR NEW ZEALAND

Backs (18) Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 37 caps Harry Byrne (Leinster/Lansdowne) 2 caps Joey Carbery (Munster/Clontarf) 32 caps Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon) 5 caps Keith Earls (Munster/Young Munster) 96 caps Ciaran Frawley (Leinster/Skerries) uncapped Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 17 caps Mack Hansen (Connacht) 4 caps Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers) 57 caps James Hume (Ulster/Banbridge) 3 caps Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 20 caps Jordan Larmour (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 30 caps James Lowe (Leinster) 12 caps Michael Lowry (Ulster/Banbridge) 1 cap Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 96 caps Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster/Naas) uncapped Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 42 caps Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 105 caps CAPTAIN Forwards (22) Ryan Baird (Leinster/Dublin University) 8 caps Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 23 caps Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 30 caps Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 27 caps Gavin Coombes (Munster/Young Munster) 2 caps Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 17 caps Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf) 57 caps Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 116 caps Dave Heffernan (Connacht/Buccaneers) 6 caps Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 68 caps Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 26 caps Jeremy Loughman (Munster/Garryowen) uncapped Joe McCarthy (Leinster/Dublin) uncapped Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 84 caps Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 2 caps Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 43 caps Cian Prendergast (Connacht) uncapped James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 43 caps Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 7 caps Nick Timoney (Ulster/Banbridge) 2 caps Kieran Treadwell (Ulster/Ballymena) 5 caps Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 40 caps

Robert Baloucoune, Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell and Rónan Kelleher have been ruled out of the Tour through injury.

"Due to Covid we haven’t had an opportunity to tour and touring plays a massive role in teams gelling together and building cohesion on and off the field," said Andy Farrell. "This group could also be the last to play a Test series in New Zealand which makes it even more special. "We will learn so much about the players and the group as a whole as we have to front up for five incredibly tough fixtures, far from the comforts of home and in grounds where the home support will greatly outnumber travelling Irish fans.”

One of the players heading on tour for the first time with Ireland, this summer, is Connacht winger Mack Hansen. He was the special guest on the latest House of Rugby URC episode [LISTEN from 1:30 below] and he spoke of what challenges the All Blacks will present. Mack Hansen does not believe the recent United Rugby Championship knock-out stage defeats for Munster and Ulster, and Leinster falling short in pursuit of two trophies, will take the edge off Ireland as they head to New Zealand.

"Even though it didn't go to plan [last weekend] for Leinster or Ulster, they are too good of players to let it keep them down. If anything, it will make them a lot hungrier to do well in New Zealand."

Asked if he was looking forward to pitting his attacking and defensive wits against the likes of Sevu Reece and Will Jordan, Hansen joked, "I'd prefer to be facing neither!"

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