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Ireland coach Declan Kidney has named nine Munster players in his squad for the Summer tour of the US and Canada, while naming five Munster men in his Churchill Cup squad also.
The Ireland squad for the summer international tour will be captained by Rory Best and shows a mixture of youth in addition to a strong spine of experience for the two international test matches
against Canada and the USA at the end of the month with 12 uncapped players making the trip.
Ireland Coach Declan Kidney said: “When we confirmed the tour back in January, we were always hopeful some of the provinces and players would be involved in the Heineken or Challenge Cup finals and we would also be without any players selected for the British & Irish Lions tour. We felt that it would be a chance for the national management to work closely with a larger pool of players than we would normally do during the season and for players to come through at this level. We are continuing to try and build a squad and this tour is a real chance for players to stake a claim for the November games and next years championship.”
While several players are being rested for the tour, 12 capped players are named in the travelling party with Peter Stringer, Bob Casey, Limerick’s Eoin Reddan, Mick O’Driscoll and Denis Leamy among those lending their considerable experience for the tour.
“This is our first tour together and with many players not available, it does add another unknown element to it against the backdrop of starting the tour off by playing a Canada side certainly looking to get one over us after last years game.” Kidney added.
The Churchill Cup squad will be captained by John Muldoon and will also be under the national management’s guidance this year to widen the pool of players that the coaches have experience of working with. The tournament includes teams from Argentina, USA, Canada, Georgia and the England Saxons and will see Ireland A play pool games against Canada and Georgia as well as a final game in the tournament playoffs. The 27 man squad will include players from Leinster following the Heineken Cup final and will also see several from the senior tour also taking part to further their game time experience.
Ireland Tour Squad to play US and Canada:
Rory Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) Captain, Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster), Ryan Caldwell (Dungannon/Ulster)*, Bob Casey (London Irish), Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)*,Tom Court (Malone/Ulster), Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)*, Ian Dowling (Shannon/Munster)*, Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht), Chris Henry (Ballymena/Ulster)*, Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster)*, Ian Keatley (Galwegians/Connacht)*, Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster), Keith Matthews (Buccaneers/Connacht)*, John Muldoon (Buccanneers/Connacht)*, Barry Murphy (U.L. Bohemians/Munster), Niall O’Connor (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)*, Mick O’Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster), Eoin Reddan (London Wasps), Niall Ronan (Shannon/Munster)*, Mike Ross (Harlequins)*, Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster), Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster), Bryan Young (Ballymena/Ulster), A.N. Other**
Ireland A Churchill Cup Squad (27)
John Andress (Exeter Chiefs) *, Neil Best (Northampton Saints), Isaac Boss (Ballymena/Ulster), Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster), Fionn Carr (Galwegians/Connacht)*, Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)*, James Downey (Northampton Saints) *, Dennis Fogarty (Cork Constitution/Munster)*, Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)*, Chris Henry (Ballymena/Ulster)*, Trevor Hogan (Blackrock College/Leinster), Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster)*, Felix Jones (Old Belvedere/Leinster)*, Simon Keogh (Old Belvedere/Leinster)*, Keith Matthews (Buccaneers/Connacht)*, Fergus McFadden (UCD/Leinster)*,John Muldoon (Buccaneers/Connacht)* Captain, Frank Murphy (Buccaneers/Connacht)*, Johne Murphy (Leicester Tigers)*, Sean O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)*, Niall O’Connor (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)*, Ed O’Donoghue (Instonians/Ulster)*, Niall Ronan (Shannon/Munster)*, Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster), Jonathan Sexton (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)*, Devon Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)*,Bryan Young (Ballymena/Ulster)
Ireland Tour Schedule:
Depart Sunday 17th May for Canada
Canada v Ireland, Saturday 23rd May, 14.00hrs (local time), Thunderbird Stadium, Vancouver
USA v Ireland, Sunday 31st May, 14.00hrs (local rime), Buckshaw Stadium, Santa Clara, California
Ireland Churchill Cup Schedule:
Ireland A v Canada, Wednesday 10th June, 16.30hrs (local time), Infinity Park, Glendale, Colorado
Georgia v Ireland A, Sunday 14th June, 15.30hrs (local time) Infinity Park, Glendale, Colorado
Finals Day, Sunday 21st June, Dicks Sporting Goods park, Denver, Colorado
