Yep it was only 4 years ago and yep the score was Argentina 30 Ireland 15.
You can probably guess the Ulster players names names without reading this, no real surprises.
There are four uncapped players – Felix Jones, Mike McCarthy, Conor Murray and Brett Wilkinson.
The only players unavailable for selection are Shane Horgan, Ian Humphreys and Nevin Spence who all had to undergo surgery on long standing injuries. The rehabilitation period is such that all three players will not be able to take part in the world cup conditioning schedule to enable them to build up the required fitness levels, and so none of these three players will be available for the games during the Guinness Summer Series in August.
Following the completion of each camp, players will return to their provincial centres to continue their strength and conditioning work. The Ireland coaching staff will work closely with the squad during each of the camps and also with the players when they are back with their provincial teams.
Ireland Coach Declan Kidney said,
This is the first step in preparation for the Rugby World Cup and the group called into our first camp shows that there is competition for places right across the board.
There are players who we have identified as part of the larger Rugby World Cup squad who will not be in the first camp and will be based with their provincial and club fitness staff, but that may change as we go through June and July, so none of that larger group are necessarily out of contention for the final squad.
The only real thing of interest is that Humphreys and Spence have been named amongst the “not considered due to injury category”. This one has a long way to run before it gets interesting.
Ireland Squad (Pre-Season Training Guinness Summer Series & Rugby World Cup):
Backs (19): Isaac Boss (Terenure College/Leinster), Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster), Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht), Keith Earls (Thomond/Munster), Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster), Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster), Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster), Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Geordan Murphy (Leicester), Conor Murray (Cork Constitution/Munster), Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster), Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster), Tomas O’Leary (Dolphin/Munster), Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Jonathan Sexton (St.Mary’s College/Leinster), Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster), Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster), Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
Forwards (24): Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster), Tony Buckley (Sale Sharks), Tom Court (Malone/Ulster), Sean Cronin (Leinster), Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster), Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster), Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster), John Hayes (Bruff/Munster), Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster), Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster), Shane Jennings (St.Mary’s College/Leinster), Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster), Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers/Connacht), Kevin McLaughlin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Sean O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster), Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster), Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster), Mick O’Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster), Michael Ross (Clontarf/Leinster), Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster), Damien Varley (Garryown/Munster), David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster), Brett Wilkinson (Galwegians/Connacht)
Not considered due to injury: Shane Horgan (Boyne/Leinster) – Knee, Ian Humphreys (Ballymena/Ulster) – Shoulder, Nevin Spence (Ballynahinch/Ulster) – shoulder
Guinness Summer Series
August 6th: Scotland v Ireland, Murrayfield, Edinburgh
August 13th: France v Ireland, Stade Chaban Delmas, Bordeaux
August 18th: Ireland Select XV v Connacht, Donnybrook Stadium, Dublin
August 20th: Ireland v France, Aviva Stadium, Dublin
August 27th: Ireland v England, Aviva Stadium, Dublin
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4 Responses to “Smattering of Ulstermen make Ireland’s first RWC Squad.”
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nothing to surprising in the squad but a few names should have in my view been included and few excluded
the omissions being Cave and Touhy
My surprise inclusions are Hayes and o Driscoll (M) similiarly anyone who reads this will already know my opinion of Cullen who I consider a one trick pony ( line out fantastic ) everything else leaves alot to desired the fact he is leinster’s captain I believe stops many referees for pinging him in the ruck his style owes much to McCaw (in from the side and over)
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Your on your own with this on mote, I’m finding it harder and harder to whip up any enthusiasm for Ireland’s World Cup campaign just yet and with this selection I can’t see much changing.
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I counted 5 ulstermen in the preliminary squad (unless my eyes playing tricks on me ..) – not bad.
(though I think only Ruan has good chance of making the final squad).
Plus 3 in RSA preliminary squad
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Less than one eighth of the Ireland squad is not good for a Province who’s main aim is to develop players for Ireland. Ulster should be targeting a minimum representation of one quarter and actually aiming for one third. while it has been a successful season on many fronts it must be remembered that it has been pretty unsuccessful in it’s primary benchmark!
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