Nearly there.
The build-up has been long and drawn out but the 2015 Rugby World Cup is nearly here. Or at least the start of it is – we’ll have to wait another few weeks for any meaningful Irish matches.
On Tuesday afternoon Joe Schmidt will name the finalised 31-man squad for the tournament and reports emerging on Monday night suggest the New Zealander is going to spring a surprise or two.
Ruadhri O’Connor of the Irish Independent is reporting that Tadhg Furlong, the 22-year-old Leinster tighthead prop, has played his way onto the plane where he will be joined by 28-year-old Ulster centre Darren Cave.
It is Cave’s Ulster team-mate Andrew Trimble who is perhaps the most high-profile name to miss out on selection.
Others who it is rumoured will miss out are Marty Moore, who has suffered from injury all season, Michael Bent and Felix Jones.
Schmidt is set to gamble on just two scrum-halves, with Ian Madigan deputise as third string, which means that Isaac Boss will be left out.
The expected Ireland squad in full:
BACKS
Tommy Bowe, Darren Cave, Keith Earls, Luke Fitzgerald, Dave Kearney, Rob Kearney, Robbie Henshaw, Paddy Jackson, Ian Madigan, Conor Murray, Jared Payne, Eoin Reddan, Johnny Sexton, Simon Zebo.
FORWARDS
Rory Best, Sean Cronin, Tadhg Furlong, Cian Healy, Iain Henderson, Paul O’Connell, Jamie Heaslip, Chris Henry, Jack McGrath, Jordi Murphy, Sean O’Brien, Peter O’Mahony, Mike Ross, Donnacha Ryan, Richardt Strauss, Devin Toner, Nathan White.
Hat tip to Independent.ie
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