Larmour has the look of adventure
LEINSTER back Jordan Larmour is the only uncapped player in a 36-man Ireland squad for the games against France and Italy.
Larmour, 20, has been the find of the season for Leinster scoring six tries in seven starts, including two stunning solo efforts against local rivals Munster and Ulster in recent weeks to keep the No.15 shirt ahead of Rob Kearney, who is also in the Ireland squad.
Ulster hooker Rory Best retains the captaincy as Ireland aim to improve on their second-place finish in last year’s tournament.
Lions flanker Sean O’Brien and outside centre Garry Ringrose are among those ruled out through injury.
O’Brien is missing as he continues to recover from surgery on a hip injury, while Ringrose is out with an ankle injury sustained against Ulster.
Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt must also do without long-term absentee Jamie Heaslip, Finlay Bealham, Rhys Ruddock, Tommy O’Donnell, Luke Marshall, Jared Payne and Niall Scannell, who is due to return to action in the coming weeks. There is still no place for Racing 92’s Donnacha Ryan or his future team-mate Simon Zebo. Ireland, unbeaten in their past seven matches, face France in Paris on February 3 and then play Italy at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on February 10. Schmidt said: “It’s been great to witness some quality performances from provincial teams over the last seven weeks of European and derby matches, with a number of players performing well.
“There were some very tight decisions but it’s great to see some competitive depth in a number of positions.”
Joey Carbery, below, has recovered after suffering three broken bones in his wrist against Fiji last November to take his place in the extended training group.
Leinster hooker Sean Cronin, who missed out on selection for the November wins over South Africa, Fiji and Argentina, returns, as does Munster wing Fergus McFadden, who has not featured for Ireland since March 2016.