Andy Farrell Names 40-Player Squad For New Zealand Tour

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has named an extended 40-player squad for the five game Tour of New Zealand this summer.

Johnny Sexton will captain the squad in what will be Ireland’s first tour since the 2018 series win over Australia. Ireland will play three Test matches against New Zealand in Auckland, Dunedin and Wellington as well as two fixtures against the Māori All Blacks in Hamilton ahead of the first Test and in Wellington following the second Test.

Ireland have not toured New Zealand since 2012 and have never recorded a victory over the All Blacks in Aotearoa. Five players in the current squad toured New Zealand in 2012 – Cian Healy, Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, Johnny Sexton and Keith Earls while Tadhg Furlong, Iain Henderson, Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, Johnny Sexton and Robbie Henshaw were part of the British & Irish Lions squad who toured New Zealand in 2017.

There are five uncapped players included in the squad Jeremy Loughman (Munster), Ciaran Frawley, Joe McCarthy, Jimmy O’Brien (all Leinster) and Cian Prendergast (Connacht).

There are a further 12 players included who have won less than 10 caps for Ireland – Harry Byrne, Craig Casey, Gavin Coombes, Mack Hansen, James Hume, Michael Lowry, Ryan Baird, Dave Heffernan, Tom O’Toole, Dan Sheehan, Nick Timoney and Kieran Treadwell.

Robert Baloucoune, Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell and Ronan Kelleher have been ruled out of the tour through injury.

Andy Farrell commented, “This is the start of our Rugby World Cup campaign and it is going to be a fantastic challenge for our group facing five massive tests across the three weeks.

Due to Covid we haven’t had an opportunity to tour and touring plays a massive role in teams gelling together and building cohesion on and off the field. This group could also be the last to play a Test series in New Zealand which makes it even more special.

We will learn so much about the players and the group as a whole as we have to front up for five incredibly tough fixtures, far from the comforts of home and in grounds where the home support will greatly outnumber travelling Irish fans.”

Connacht’s Senior Coach Peter Wilkins will join the national coaching group for the duration of the tour to assist in team preparation.

Mick Kearney has been re-appointed as Men’s National Team Manager following Gerard Carmody’s promotion to IRFU Director of Operations.   Mick previously held the position between 2012 and 2016 and will fulfil the role through to the end of the Rugby World Cup in France.  Geraldine Armstrong, will lead team operations for the tour to New Zealand while Gerard Carmody will continue to support team operations and planning for RWC23.

Ireland 2022 Summer Tour Squad

Backs (18)

Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 37 caps

Harry Byrne (Leinster/Lansdowne) 2 caps

Joey Carbery (Munster/Clontarf) 32 caps

Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon) 5 caps

Keith Earls (Munster/Young Munster) 96 caps

Ciaran Frawley (Leinster/Skerries) uncapped

Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 17 caps

Mack Hansen (Connacht) 4 caps

Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers) 57 caps

James Hume (Ulster/Banbridge) 3 caps

Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 20 caps

Jordan Larmour (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 30 caps

James Lowe (Leinster) 12 caps

Michael Lowry (Ulster/Banbridge) 1 cap

Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 96 caps

Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster/Naas) uncapped

Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 42 caps

Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 105 caps CAPTAIN

Forwards (22)

Ryan Baird (Leinster/Dublin University) 8 caps

Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 23 caps

Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 30 caps

Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 27 caps

Gavin Coombes (Munster/Young Munster) 2 caps

Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 17 caps

Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf) 57 caps

Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 116 caps

Dave Heffernan (Connacht/Buccaneers) 6 caps

Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 68 caps

Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 26 caps

Jeremy Loughman (Munster/Garryowen) uncapped

Joe McCarthy (Leinster/Dublin) uncapped

Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 84 caps

Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 2 caps

Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 43 caps

Cian Prendergast (Connacht) uncapped

James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 43 caps

Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 7 caps

Nick Timoney (Ulster/Banbridge) 2 caps

Kieran Treadwell (Ulster/Ballymena) 5 caps

Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 40 caps

Ireland 2022 Summer Tour Fixtures

Māori All Blacks v IRELAND

FMG Stadium, Hamilton, Wednesday 29th June, 2022 (KO: 8.05am)

New Zealand v IRELAND

Eden Park, Auckland, Saturday 2nd July, 2022 (KO: 8.05am)

New Zealand v IRELAND

Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, Saturday 9th July, 2022 (KO: 8.05am)

Māori All Blacks v IRELAND

SKY Stadium, Wellington, Tuesday 12th July, 2022 (KO: 8.05am)

New Zealand v IRELAND

SKY Stadium, Wellington, Saturday 16th July, 2022 (KO: 8.05am)