MUNSTER TIGHTHEAD PROP Roman Salanoa will link up with Andy Farrell’s Ireland squad in Cardiff ahead of Saturday’s Six Nations opener against Wales as Tadhg Furlong continues to recover from a calf injury.
Furlong will miss the clash with Warren Gatland’s Welsh side as he continues to recover, with Connacht man Finlay Bealham starting in the number three shirt and Ulster’s Tom O’Toole providing back-up from the bench.
With Furlong still on the comeback trail, Farrell has now called on the uncapped Salanoa as additional tighthead cover.
Ireland have confirmed that the explosive 25-year-old will link up with the squad just for this weekend, with Farrell hoping Furlong will be fit in time to face France in Dublin on 9 February.
Hawaii native Salanoa – who qualifies for Ireland via residency – looks set to take part in Saturday’s warm-up at the Principality Stadium, ensuring that Ireland have another tighthead option in case Bealham or O’Toole are struck by a late injury issue.
125kg Salanoa is enjoying a fine season and managing to steer clear of injuries after a frustrating few seasons. He first arrived in Ireland in 2017, joining Leinster’s sub-academy and going on to play for the province at senior level.
Salanoa, a former high school American football player, made the switch to Munster in 2020 and has shown his power whenever fit to play.
He was part of the Emerging Ireland squad that toured South Africa earlier this season. Salanoa’s athleticism and willingness to learn impressed senior Ireland assistant coaches John Fogarty and Paul O’Connell on that trip.
Salanoa previously played for the USA U20s in 2016 but is now committed to representing Ireland.
While he may have to wait for a first senior cap, being involved with the senior squad for the first time this weekend is a big step.
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I know there’s resistance to overseas players being selected for Irish squad with notable exceptions but wonder , given his form , if John Ryan could have been called in (contract permitting ) as cover , even for just the next 2 weeks games ? Massive experience , 20+ caps for Ireland and tipping the scale @ 120kg too – time will tell ……
@Paul Burke: Couldn’t agree more. Felt if he had stayed around the way he was playing he would not have been far away from the coaches thoughts.
@Ger: he didn’t have the option to stay around as Munster didn’t offer a new contract
@Con O’Hannrachàin: That’s incorrect. He was offered a contract at Munster however, opted to take up a short term deal with the Waikato Chiefs instead. He’ll be back next season with Munster on a 1 year deal. But, let’s not allow the facts get in the way of a lie.
@Steve McCarthy: was he offered a contract? You must be close to all things Munster so your proof is?
@Con O’Hannrachàin: common knowledge really – “he returned on a short-term deal and has since been offered the chance to extend this stay – an opportunity he has turned down.”: https://extra.ie/2022/12/14/sport/rugby/john-ryan-munster-contracts
Playing junior with Old Belvo not long before covid. What a rise. Fair play.
Fair play to the lad. Love how much he has come on in the last two years and has been playing some amazing ball with munster. Got great hands as well which may pip him over John Ryan if he was available, doubt he would be tho with him apparently being in nz already
They’d have to release him if he was called up but he is over there so and it’s a long old flight, better go with Salanoa at this stage if Farrell rate them similar.
Tadghs long-term injury is worrying
I think this is one of the areas the IRFU could improve on, even given the longer residency rules, it doesn’t sit right taking a player from a tier 2 nation, he would be a far bigger asset to USA rugby than Irish rugby, but if he were to play for the USA his rugby career in Ireland would be finished. It helps Irish rugby playing for us, but it would help rugby worldwide playing for the USA.
@Kingshu: all about the cash
@Kingshu: All the leading nations (bar SA) have players with PI heritage who could have played for their heritage country, but have been brought over to play in the Tier 1 country under various mechanisms. Even if people feel that Ireland, who have been a systematic exploiters of various loopholes to strengthen their side(s), should now take the moral high ground on this issue, Salanoa’s been here for years now and it is far too late to suggest he should not be eligible
@Kevin Ryan: I’m not suggesting he shouldn’t be eligible, I’m pointing out that if like Abdaladze he plays for the country of his birth, his career in Ireland is over. Its the stick the IRFU hold over him to prevent him playing for the USA that I don’t like.
@Kingshu: But he’s a project player – presumably one of the last under this particular system. Isn’t its aim the straightforward (if arguably morally dubious) one of finding players from elsewhere to develop into Irish internationals. Under this philosophy if he wants to play for another country instead, he would be blocking the development of an alternative TH for Ireland and therefore wouldn’t be allowed to play for Munster (or whoever) under our centrally funded system. That’s tough but how the system works – unless the import is a top player like Vermuelen etc of course.
Vakh’s a different case but, I fear, his days are limited because he hasn’t made the breakthrough
@Kevin Ryan: It is, thats why I started with its one of the areas the IRFU could improve on. Would be nice if we could assist tier 2 nations, instead. Vakh I think saw he wasn’t going to make it at Leinster and will use the WC to put himself in the shop window.
@Kingshu: Yes it would be nice, but resources are limited. Could be argued that Leinster are helping Samoa by hiring Michael A; and Connacht have had a fair few PI players over the years. But in those cases it suited the needs of the provinces. Investing in a young player for years so they can play for another country when they finally start producing would be a luxury I don’t see we can afford when the whole John Ryan saga started coz of the need for post-Covid savings.
How do you feel about the younger THs at Ulster? I thought Scott Wilson looked pretty good for the u20s last year. But I guess too young to call. Have to admit I’ve lost confidence in the Tom O’Toole project. (And would have seen Marty Moore as a much better bet for the forthcoming RWC before his injury)
John Ryan?
@Daithí O’ Donnabhain: He’s gone to New Zealand. Their domestic season starts around the same month as the Six Nations.
Wasn’t he one of Eddie O’Sullivans projects? Hence he playing with Belvo initially.
@Adrian Gannon: nope
Should be no place for him in the Ireland set up. This continued reliance on overseas players must be so disheartening to lads who have given all from minis,to youths, to school, to academy to …… being left behind for an import.
@Tipper Irie: Happens with sport everywhere. Local guys are replaced by better people from outside. Nothing unique about Salanoa
@Tipper Irie: didn’t John Hayes only start playing rugby at 18, by your criteria he shouldn’t have gotten a cap either. What I’m saying is go away and have a look at your self in the mirror (I’ve had to reword the last bit to not cause offence but in fact I mean to offend. Offending someone isn’t the end of the world but that’s another discussion)