IRELAND TO MIX THE OLD AND NEW
WITH less than two years to the World Cup in France, Ireland coach Andy Farrell (below) will ramp up preparations for France 2023 today when he names his squad for next month’s internationals against Japan, New Zealand and Argentina. While many familiar, long-established names are expected to be included, there is set to be plenty of youth surrounding them, with a clutch of younger players impressing for their provinces over the first four weeks of United Rugby Championship action. The likes of Munster scrumhalf Craig Casey and Ulster three-quarters Robert Baloucoune and James Hume have already been capped, but others such as Leinster hooker Dan Sheehan and his colleague Ciaran Frawley, who covers 10 and 12, have caught the eye since the start of the season.
The outstanding youngster on show so far is Ulster No9 Nathan Doak, who has been widely hailed as an international scrum-half in waiting. Conor Murray has been first choice for the last 10 years but is short on game time, having not played for Munster since returning from the Lions tour. The out-half selections will be fascinating, with veteran Johnny Sexton still well ahead of the competition while the player widely tipped to succeed him, Munster’s Joey Carbery, was outshone by Connacht’s Jack Carty last weekend. There is a lot of support behind a recall for Simon Zebo following his return to Munster from Racing 92 but the national selectors may feel the 31-year-old needs more time to stake his claim after being a largely peripheral figure in the narrow win over Connacht at Thomond Park last weekend. Meanwhile, former Ulster and Ireland hooker Rory Best will oversee Fiji’s forwards for the November internationals. The Fijians are due to take on Spain, Wales and Georgia.