FULL IRELAND STARS TO SA
IRELAND will send four senior internationals to South Africa for an Emerging Ireland tour at the end of September.
They are Ulster’s twice-capped Robert Baloucoune and Munster’s Shane Daly, while Caolin Blade and Max Deegan have a single cap apiece.
Three of the squad, Ciaran Frawley, Joe McCarthy and Cian Prendergast, were on tour in New Zealand last summer and featured against the Maori All Blacks.
Essentially the selection comprises a ‘third’ string behind Ireland and Ireland ‘A’ in the pecking order and we’ve broken it into three separate sections — imperative, invaluable and interesting.
There are those Andy Farrell is considering for a shot at next year’s World Cup and needs to see them on a training pitch, in on-field action and as part of a squad before finalising any decision.
Form
Those who will form a stand-by set in case of a run of injuries; the specialist positions of hooker, tight-head, scrum-half and out-half are always problematical when selecting from just four professional clubs.
While a number of selections simply flag outstanding young talent, most likely setting them up for the postRWC2023 cycle.
IMPERATIVE CIARAN FRAWLEY Doesn’t get enough time at no10 at Leinster behind Johnny Sexton and Ross Byrne.
NATHAN DOAK Scrum-half who can place-kick and fill in at no10 in an Antoine Dupont-fashion. The potential captain.
TOM CLARKSON The switching of Andrew Porter to loosehead leaves Ireland looking for tight-head cover.
INVALUABLE TOM AHERN There are those who insist the second-row is not only ready-to-go at Munster but could be RWC2023 potential. JOHN HODNETT/ALEX KENDELLAN Munster’s back-row is a tough place to break through and both young tyros are competing against each other as well against the Red regulars.
SCOTT PENNY Leinster’s open-side try-scoring machine has been sensational when the Blues are without their international contingent.
INTERESTING JAMIE OSBOURNE Hasn’t put a foot wrong in a Leinster shirt to date filling in at fullback, centre and out-half. Likely to be used as a full-back here.
JOE MCCARTHY Neither Ireland nor Leinster have enormous second-row depth of international standard and McCarthy has already demonstrated Henderson/Ryan-like power.
ROMAN SALANOA There had been high hopes the Hawaiian would make a breakthrough after a move from Leinster’s academy to Munster’s squad.
ALEX SOROKA Flanker who had a very impressive last third to his Leinster season but has Josh van der Flier and Scott Penny directly ahead of him at club level.
“Rob Baloucoune was supposed to tour New Zealand with us last summer but was injured and we feel there is a need to have him on a pitch and getting into game-time situations,” said head coach Simon Easterby.
“We feel Ciaran Frawley has the potential to lead in a number of different positions.” Emerging Ireland squad
Backs: Robert Baloucoune, Shane Daly, Antoine Frisch, Ethan McIlroy, Stewart Moore, Chay Mullins,
Calvin Nash, Jamie Osbourne, Andrew Smith; Half-backs: Caolin Blade, Jack Crowley, Nathan
Doak, Jake Flannery,
Ciaran Frawley, Michael McDonald; Front rows: Diarmuid Barron, Tom Stewart, Dylan TierneyMartin, Tom Clarkson, Sam Illo, Michael Milne, Roman Salanoa, Callum Reid, Josh Wycherley; Second/back row: Tom Ahern, James Culhane, Max Deegan, Brian Deeny, John Hodnett, Cormac Izuchukwu, Alex Kendellen, Joe McCarthy, Scott Penny, Cian Prendergast, Alex Soroka