Joey Carbery returns as Ireland name 37-man squad for Italy game

Patrick McCarry

Tough beat for Joe McCarthy but a welcome return for Kieran Treadwell.

Johnny Sexton looks likely to sit out this Saturday’s Six Nations clash with Italy after Joey Carbery was called up as outhalf cover ahead of round three of the championship.

Carbery is joined by Kieran Treadwell and the uncapped Leinster back-row Scott Penny in the Ireland squad for round three, while Joe McCarthy and Keith Earls drop out. Cian Healy and Dan Sheehan are both in the squad and in contention to face Italy. An IRFU release reads:

Cian Healy and Dan Sheehan are both included having come through their individual hamstring rehab programmes. Joey Carbery is added to the squad to provide additional cover as Johnny Sexton continues his rehab this week.

Caolin Blade, Gavin Coombes, Jordan Larmour, Jimmy O’Brien, Jamie Osborne, Cian Prendergast, Roman Salanoa and Jacob Stockdale return to the squad having played for their respective provinces in the URC at the weekend.

Scott Penny and Kieran Treadwell have been added to the squad for the first time in this campaign. Treadwell featured against South Africa and Fiji in November while Penny played for Emerging Ireland against the Griquas and Pumas in Bloemfontein.

Tadhg Beirne was last week ruled out of the remainder of the Championship and unfortunately Joe McCarthy will also miss the rest of this year’s campaign with an ankle issue.

Keith Earls is unavailable this week with a calf issue while Jamison Gibson Park, Robbie Henshaw and Tadhg Furlong will all continue their respective rehab programmes. Rob Herring is continuing his graduated return to play protocols.

Ireland Squad for Round 3

Backs (17)

Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 43 caps
Caolin Blade (Connacht/Galwegians) 1 cap
Ross Byrne (Leinster/UCD) 16 caps
Joey Carbery (Munster/Clontarf) 37 caps
Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon) 9 caps
Jack Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution) 2 caps
Mack Hansen (Connacht/Corinthians) 10 caps
Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 27 caps
Jordan Larmour (Leinster/St Marys College) 30 caps
James Lowe (Leinster) 17 caps
Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor) 11 caps
Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 102 caps
Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster/Naas) 3 caps
Jamie Osborne (Leinster/Naas)*
Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 49 caps
Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 111 caps (c)
Jacob Stockdale (Ulster/Lurgan) 35 caps

Forwards (20)

Ryan Baird (Leinster/Dublin University) 8 caps
Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 29 caps
Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 35 caps
Gavin Coombes (Munster/Young Munster) 2 caps
Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 25 caps
Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 121 caps
Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 70 caps
Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 33 caps
Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Lansdowne) 19 caps
Dave Kilcoyne (Munster/UL Bohemians) 50 caps
Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 91 caps
Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 6 caps
Scott Penny (Leinster/UCD)*
Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 50 caps
Cian Prendergast (Connacht/Corinthians) 1 cap
James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 50 caps
Roman Salanoa (Munster/Shannon)*
Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 14 caps
Kieran Treadwell (Ulster/Ballymena) 10 caps
Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 47 caps