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Andy Farrell confirms his 33-man Ireland squad for Rugby World Cup

27 Aug 2023

Press Association

Andy Farrell has confirmed his Ireland squad for the Rugby World Cup, cutting the 38 players that were still in contention down to the requisite 33 for a finals campaign that begins on September 9 in Nantes versus Romania.

There were injury concerns overnight regarding the availability of veteran loosehead Cian Healy after he was helped from the pitch in Bayonne by medics having suffered a calf injury during the underwhelming 17-13 Summer Nations Series success over Samoa.

They also had lingering concerns over hooker Dan Sheehan who limped out of the August 19 win over England. In the end, Healy has been ruled out but Sheehan has been included as one of the 18 travelling forwards.

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Along with the unfortunate loosehead Healy, Cian Prendergast and Tom Stewart were the other pack members to be omitted. In the backs, Ciaran Frawley and Jacob Stockdale were the duo to miss out in that 15-strong department.

The squad announcement, which was made in Dublin on Sunday afternoon, concluded the selection process that began on May 30 when Farell named a 42-strong squad for pre-season training.

It was August 16, ahead of the warm-up victory over England, when the first cut was made, the head coach excluding forwards Gavin Coombes and Kieran Treadwell along with backline trio Caolin Blade, Calvin Nash and Jamie Osborne.

Jeremy Loughman was added to the squad at that time, and he went on to play off the bench against the English and the Samoans and is now heading to France.

After taking on Romania in their World Cup opener, the world No1-ranked Ireland face Tonga, South Africa and Scotland in further pool matches.

Ireland Rugby World Cup squad
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)

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Comments on RugbyPass

IkeaBoy 15 minutes ago

Duhan van der Merwe injury update leaves Andy Farrell with a dilemma

It's a tough break for him but it's not the end of the world.

Val Kilmer has died. That's real life. The first on screen batman to go. Sad times.

1 Go to comments

Mitch 25 minutes ago

Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

My worry for Lancaste is he’d start off behind the 8 ball before coaching a single match due to the 2015 World Cup which is unfair as he no doubt has improved since then but that’s what people here, rugby folk or not, will associate him with and not the success at Leinster.

93 Go to comments

fl 34 minutes ago

Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

Steve Hansen stepped down as ABs coach aged 60, Graham Henry did so at 65, Robbie Deans quit the Wallabies job at 54, and Wayne Smith left the ABs aged 60.

Most of them have had lesser jobs since then, but its only Graham Henry who could really be said to have coached at the top level “well into his 60s”. He’s a bit of an outlier, and that was 14 years ago. Its very possible that that will change, but I’m not seeing much evidence of that!

One factor that might be important is that NBA and the NFL are 1 league sports. Rugby league is pretty much a 2 league sport, and those 2 leagues are so far apart there can’t be much trading between them. Rugby union and especially association football have many more leagues, and so there are more opportunities for younger managers to break through.

Also, the fact that Rugby tends to have less chopping and changing of coaches is an argument against hiring older coaches. Hire a good coach in his 40s and he could stay in the job for 20 years, but realistically how long would Les Kiss be the best coach in Australia for?

93 Go to comments

LE 35 minutes ago

'He's a special player': Lawrence Dallaglio backs Henry Pollock to be Lions bolter

I’d probably agree this is a tour too early but Lions do have a rich history of capping bolters and Pollock isnt as far behind as many say. I think you under-estimate his jackle work as he has a great turnover rate at club level and even at England A, he even got one against Wales

Fact is the nature of the game is changing and fast lighter backrows becoming more and more common as ball in play times go up and teams look to play wider. He is faces a challenge to make the initial squad but he is definately part of the conversation

12 Go to comments

fl 1 hour ago

'He's a special player': Lawrence Dallaglio backs Henry Pollock to be Lions bolter

on what basis is earl a better 7 than 8?

his best test level performances have all been at 8. He’s a great club level openside, but has only ever performed well there in international rugby when there has been a specialist openside elsewhere in the back row who is able to share the defensive workload.

you’re right that Pollock won’t go to the Lions, but he’s a much better 8 than he is a 7. That’s because - like Earl - his carrying game is immense but his defensive workrate is a step behind players like Curry, Curry, Underhill, and Pepper.

12 Go to comments

fl 1 hour ago

'He's a special player': Lawrence Dallaglio backs Henry Pollock to be Lions bolter

he’s never played 6

12 Go to comments

Spew_81 1 hour ago

Can Samoa and Tonga ever become contenders when their top talent is skimmed?

Agree. I was replying to JHW’s comment.

Most tier one nations, apart from the Pumas and the Springboks are guilty of poaching tier two talent.

It will keep happening until the eligibility rules are properly fixed.

9 Go to comments

JD Kiwi 1 hour ago

Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

I meant my theory that you're angling for a job in Australia 😂

93 Go to comments

NB 1 hour ago

Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

Qld really have three #4 locks and only one #5. Liam Wright is the best pure lineout caller at the club by a distance.

93 Go to comments

NB 1 hour ago

Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

That is because you are not aware of anything that has happened in rugby in the last 10 years, or possibly ever since professionalism started!

93 Go to comments

NB 1 hour ago

Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

England don’t have a great record of enticing back coaches they have previously discarded! Farrell, Shaun Edwards and SL all fall into that category. Few can be bothered with all the damaging politicking that goes on behind the arras at Twickers.

93 Go to comments

NB 1 hour ago

Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

I don’t entirely agree with it, though I would say Stuart is still in the process of finding where his unique skill set fits best.

93 Go to comments

NB 1 hour ago

Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

Twas funny👍

93 Go to comments

NB 1 hour ago

Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

Yep great point. The key is adaptation. If those older coaches find ways to keep evolving they already have a knowledge base few can match.

93 Go to comments

NB 1 hour ago

Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

I think the coaches club is more cutthroat in Soccer. Manager turnover in the Prem is insane so maybe that accounts for the younger profile?

In rugby it’s a bit more gentlemanly, once you’re in - you’re in. In future I can still see those coaches with a longer professional memory staying at the top. It’s a hard thing to imitate all that experience - so you still have Hansen, Henry, Deans, Smithy etc coaching well into their 60’s.

93 Go to comments

NB 2 hours ago

Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

Aye.

93 Go to comments

NB 2 hours ago

Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

Thanks JD. Looks like the piece deserved far more exposure than it got!

93 Go to comments

NB 2 hours ago

Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

He had a lot of unfortunate moments with discipline, just short periods of utter recklessness more than anything else PB. Those tend to be highlighted more at international level when retribution comes swiftly!