Ireland’s starting 15 for their first Test match of the summer, against the USA on June 10, should offer an exciting glimpse of the future.
This summer’s British & Irish Lions Tour to New Zealand could take anything between seven and 12 Irish players out of Joe Schmidt’s reach. The 2013 tour to Australia saw nine Irish players selected and three more called up as injury and suspension [Dylan Hartley] cover.
Looking at the starting line-up from Saturday’s 13-9 victory over England, it is not far-fetched to suggest that as many as 10 Irish players could make Warren Gatland’s squad.
In our mind, and the mind of many rugby pundits and former players, five Irish players are guarantees to travel – Jack McGrath, Tadhg Furlong, CJ Stander, Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton.
Robbie Henshaw and Sean O’Brien are also likely tourists while Jamie Heaslip, Simon Zebo, Garry Ringrose, Jared Payne, Iain Henderson, Rory Best and Peter O’Mahony will hope to be in the mix.
Stephen Jones of The Sunday Times has also mooted Rob Kearney as a potential Lion, for what would be his third tour.
With that in mind, and with one eye on the future, we are looking at the starting XV Schmidt could select to take on the United States before they travel on to Japan and see out the season with two further internationals.
Bear in mind, we are being optimistic and assuming Gatland will go for a raft of Irishmen [we can only hope].
IRELAND XV (for USA on June 10)
15. Tiernan O’Halloran
14. Keith Earls
13. Luke Marshall
12. Rory Scannell
11. Craig Gilroy
10. Paddy Jackson
9. Luke McGrath
1. Cian Healy
2. Niall Scannell
3. John Ryan
4. Donnacha Ryan
5. Devin Toner
6. Josh van der Flier
7. Dan Leavy
8. Jack Conan
Replacements: James Tracy, Dave Kilcoyne, Finlay Bealham, Billy Holland, Tommy O’Donnell, Kieran Marmion, Joey Carbery, Niyi Adeolokun.
