MUNSTER BACK ROW Alex Kendellen will captain Emerging Ireland on their upcoming tour of South Africa, with head coach Simon Easterby confirming a 33-man travelling squad.
Ulster lock/flanker Cormac Izuchukwu and Leinster out-half Sam Prendergast have been included after touring South Africa with Andy Farrell’s senior squad during the summer, although neither won their first Test caps on that trip.
Izuchukwu will be on his second Emerging Ireland tour, having been part of the 2022 squad, as will Leinster back row James Culhane.
Connacht will be without scrum-half Matthew Devine and wing Shayne Bolton for three rounds of the URC after their inclusion, with Easterby also including recent Ireland U20 internationals Evan O’Connell, Danny Sheahan, Jack Murphy, and Stephen Smyth.
Leinster have had 12 players included overall, Munster provide eight players, Connacht have had seven players named, and Ulster contribute six.
Unlike in 2022, there are no capped senior internationals included, whereas there were four last time around.
The players involved in this Emerging Ireland trip will definitely miss Rounds 2, 3, and 4 of the URC with their provinces.
Emerging Ireland will gather in Dublin next week before flying out to Bloemfontein on Saturday 28 September.
Easterby’s side face the Pumas on Wednesday 2 October [KO 3pm Irish time], then take on Australia’s Western Force on Sunday 6 October [KO 12pm], before clashing with the Cheetahs on Wednesday 9 October [KO 6pm Irish time], with all matches played at Toyota Stadium.
The IRFU says broadcast details for Emerging Ireland’s matches “will be confirmed in due course.”
Emerging Ireland squad:
Forwards (18):
Jack Aungier (Lansdowne FC/Connacht)
Jack Boyle (UCD RFC/Leinster)
James Culhane (UCD RFC/Leinster)
Jordan Duggan (Naas RFC/Connacht)
Sean Edogbo (UCC RFC/Munster)
Ronan Foxe (Garryowen FC/Munster)
Cormac Izuchukwu (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)
Sean Jansen (Connacht)
Alex Kendellen (UCC RFC/Munster)(captain)
Gus McCarthy (UCD RFC/Leinster)
Darragh Murray (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)
Evan O’Connell (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)
Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster)
Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution FC/Munster)
Harry Sheridan (Dublin University FC/Ulster)
Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
Alex Soroka (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
Scott Wilson (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
Backs (15):
Shayne Bolton (Connacht)
Hugh Cooney (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
Ethan Coughlan (Shannon RFC/Munster)
Matthew Devine (Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
Cormac Foley (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
Jack Murphy (Clontarf FC/Ulster)
Tommy O’Brien (UCD RFC/Leinster)
Sean O’Brien (Clontarf FC/Munster)
Ben O’Connor (UCC RFC/Munster)
Andrew Osborne (Naas RFC/Leinster)
Jude Postlethwaite (Banbridge RFC/Ulster)
Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
Rob Russell (Dublin University FC/Leinster)
Zac Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster/Ireland Sevens)
