Here’s the squad that Joe Schmidt will pick from for the big one on Sunday
The countdown is definitely on to Sunday’s massive Six Nations match between Ireland and England at Aviva Stadium. Already pegged, probably correctly, as a title decider the game is going to dominate the sporting agenda for the week and it starts today, with the naming of the Irish squad.
The two bits of news from the announcement today are the addition of Ulster’s Roger Wilson and Munster’s Billy Holland to the set up. The other is the inclusion of Jamie Heaslip, which is a surprise considering the prognosis from his back injury suffered at the knee of Pascal Pape against France.
The inclusion of Wilson is surely as a back up if or when Heaslip has to withdraw. Holland, who can play anywhere along the back row, may be included for similar reasons, or perhaps another player has a niggle and Schmidt is just making sure he has cover.
The 36-man squad will be whittled down later in the week.
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster)
Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
Billy Holland (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Mike McCarthy (Leinster)
Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
Martin Moore (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Sean O’Brien (UCD/Leinster)
Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
Tommy O’Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
Dominic Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster)
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Roger Wilson (Ulster)
Backs (17)
Isaac Boss (Terenure/Leinster)
Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster)
David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster)
Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
Jared Payne (Ulster)
Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Jonathan Sexton (Racing Metro 92)
Simon Zebo (Cork Con/Munster)
