JACOB STOCKDALE HAS recovered from a dead leg and will be available for selection for Ireland against France in the opening round of the Six Nations on Saturday.
Ireland today confirmed that all 36 players in their current training squad are fit and available to head coach Joe Schmidt for this weekend’s trip to Paris.
Loosehead prop Dave Kilcoyne, who missed last week’s training camp in Spain, will remain with Munster this week to continue his rehabilitation from a knee injury, but Ireland say he is “progressing positively”.
Stockdale had suffered a dead leg in Ulster’s Champions Cup defeat to Wasps two weekends ago, forcing him off the pitch during that tie, but he has made a swift recovery and is among the options for Schmidt out wide.
With Rob Kearney expected to start at fullback and Keith Earls looking like a certainty on the left wing, Stockdale appears to be in competition with Munster’s Andrew Conway and Leinster pair Fergus McFadden and Jordan Larmour for the final spot in the back three.
Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki are likely to be in midfield against France, with Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray fit to start in the halfbacks.
Tadhg Furlong and Rory Best are set to be joined by one of Cian Healy and Jack McGrath in the front row, while Devin Toner and Iain Henderson appear to be favourites to start in the second row.
The absence of Sean O’Brien in the back row means Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan, Dan Leavy and Jordi Murphy are all in contention to start, with CJ Stander and Peter O’Mahony looking set to retain their November places.
Schmidt will name his team on Thursday afternoon, but having so many fit and in-form options is a huge positive for the Ireland boss.
The42 has just published its first book, Behind The Lines, a collection of some of the year’s best sports stories. Pick up your copy in Eason’s, or order it here today (€10):
I like GAA too! If only I cold find a way to wriggle out of my PAYE obligations, I could then throw out a bit of the cash I’d save to my pet sport and everyone would say I’m a great fella.
@Hibernicus: There’s always one who has nothing good to say.
@Richard Ford: You misunderstood, I am inspired & keen to emulate the great man!
@Hibernicus: the man owns and runs a Swiss based company where he is clearly doing pretty well. This is also where he pays tax. I appreciate that might be a difficult concept to wrap your head around when you’ve likely spent your life in the one village.
@Hibernicus: . Well then please do your very best to do so. All donations gratefully accepted Hibernicus.
@Hibernicus: typical
@Paul Odeier: succinct!
@Hibernicus:you come across as a great fella.revenue are crying out for great fellas
As I said to Shane below, we are a tax haven. Tax avoidance is the way of the world. We gratefully accept multiple billions from corporations who base their headquarters here to avoid tax. We can’t have it both ways. People be careful not to fall off their high horses.
Fantastic balanced journalism from the headline down, exactly why I decided to pay for a subscription.
I look forward to the day when I can stop paying tax like all the smart people and donate an iPad to the club raffle for a gushing write-up in the local paper.
@Shane Griffin: When are you expecting to become one of the smart people?
@Shane Griffin: how do you feel about the fact that Ireland is a tax haven? Do you think we should send back the multiple billions we receive from tax dodging corporations every year???