Farrell has included eighteen debutants in the squad for as they prepare for opening game on Saturday, 9 September in Bordeaux
Irish Rugby head coach Andy Farrell has announced his thirty-three man squad for this years Rugby World Cup which kicks off in France next month, he has also named Jonathan Sexton as the team captain, the squad will travel to their base camp in Tours on Thursday as preparations ramp up for the event.
Cian Healy, misses out on selection after suffering a calf injury in the win against Samoa in Bayonne at the weekend. The 35-year-old was left out of squad announcement due to his injury, Jeremy Loughman takes his spot alongside Andrew Porter and Dave Kilcoyne
There is 18 debutants in the squad heading to France: Forwards Ryan Baird, Finlay Bealham, Jeremy Loughman, Caelan Doris, Rob Herring, Ronan Kelleher, Joe McCarthy, Tom O’Toole and Dan Sheehan and Backs Ross Byrne, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park, Mack Hansen, Hugo Keenan, Stuart McCloskey, James Lowe and Jimmy O’Brien.
Ireland open their Pool B campaign against Romania at Stade de Bordeaux Saturday, you can rest of their fixtures below
- Ireland v Romania, Saturday 9 September, Stade de Bordeaux (2.30pm)
- Ireland v Tonga, Saturday 16 September, Stade de la Beaujoire (8pm)
- Ireland v South Africa, Saturday 23 September, Stade de France (8pm)
- Ireland v Scotland, Saturday 7 October, Stade de France (8pm)
At the squad announcement in Dublin, Farrell said “It has been a difficult selection process over the last number of weeks because a squad of 43 players have worked extremely hard throughout an eight-week pre-season period, with the group pushing each other on the pitch and becoming very close off it.
“As coaches, we are pleased with our 33-player selection and believe we have chosen the right group to represent Ireland in France. It is a hugely exciting time for the group as we prepare to depart for Tours and finalise our preparations for our Rugby World Cup opener against Romania”.
“Confident? Of course I am,” Farrell added
Ireland Squad – Rugby World Cup 2023
Forwards (18):
Ryan Baird (Leinster/Dublin University)(13)
Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers)(32)
Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne)(41)
Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere)(39)
Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College)(31)
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf)(67)
Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy)(74)
Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch)(37)
Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Lansdowne)(21)
David Kilcoyne (Munster/UL Bohemians)(52)
Jeremy Loughman (Munster/Garryowen)(3)
Joe McCarthy (Leinster/Dublin University)(3)
Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution)(96)
Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch)(11)
Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD)(54)
James Ryan (Leinster/UCD)(55)
Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne)(18)
Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD)(52)
Backs (15):
Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians)(47)
Ross Byrne (Leinster/UCD)(21)
Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon)(12)
Jack Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution)(6)
Keith Earls (Munster/Young Munster)(100)
Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(26)
Mack Hansen (Connacht/Corinthians)(16)
Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers)(64)
Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD)(31)
James Lowe (Leinster)(21)
Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor)(13)
Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen)(106)
Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster/Naas)(6)
Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD)(51)
Jonathan Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College)(captain)(113)
