Joe Schmidt’s curve ball as Munster trio get the call

The Six Nations is not supposed to be the time for experimentation but that has not prevented Ireland boss Joe Schmidt from continuing to his mission to develop strength in depth ahead of the 2019 World Cup.

Joe Schmidt’s curve ball as Munster trio get the call

Head coach Schmidt yesterday named a 40-man squad, including uncapped Munster trio Niall Scannell, Andrew Conway and Rory Scannell, to see the national team through the opening two fixtures of the 2017 RBS 6 Nations Championship, with Ireland getting their bid to regain the title won in 2014 and 2015 underway in Edinburgh against Scotland on February 4.

Johnny Sexton, Ultan Dillane and Keith Earls have all shaken off injury doubts to take their places in Schmidt’s playing group as they begin preparations for Murrayfield in 11 days. The Irish will go back on the road the following week when they travel to Rome to face Italy on February 11, by which time the uncapped Munster men named in the squad yesterday will have a much greater understanding of just what is required of an Ireland player under the detail-driven Schmidt.

Wing Conway, centre Rory Scannell and hooker Niall Scannell all received their calls as Schmidt recognised their contributions to Munster’s remarkable run of 12 wins in 13 games that saw them reached the top of the Guinness PRO12 and achieve second seeding for the Champions Cup quarter- finals.

“It has been good to watch the players over the past two months and great to see many of them doing so well,” Schmidt of his overall squad. “As always there were some difficult decisions but we feel the group is a good mix with a number of key players having good experience and a number of newer players having gained valuable experience and confidence during the summer tour to South Africa and the recent autumn series.”

There are 15 Leinster players in the squad, although hooker Richardt Strauss and back row Rhys Ruddock are notable exclusions, eight from Ulster and four from Connacht. Munster’s resurrection is also reflected by a 13-player contingent in the Ireland squad, including openside flanker Tommy O’Donnell, recalled after missing the summer tour to South Africa and being omitted from the November squads. While in addition to the three newcomers, tighthead John Ryan and lock/blindside Billy Holland are given the chance to build on their Test debuts against Canada during the Guinness Series.

Similar opportunities have been made available to autumn one-cappers from Leinster, back-row duo Jack Conan and Dan Leavy and hooker James Tracy, who will vie with Niall Scannell for the understudy’s role to captain Rory Best in the absence of the injured Sean Cronin.

In the backs, there are recalls for centre Stuart McLoskey, who made his one Test appearance against England at Twickenham last February, and veteran wing Tommy Bowe, 33 next month and not capped since the 2010 World Cup quarter-final when a serious knee injury curtailed his involvement against Argentina. Leinster scrum-half Luke McGrath, capped against Canada and now a serious contender to battle with Kieran Marmion for the back up spot to first-choice nine Conor Murray.

Leinster senior coach and former England boss Stuart Lancaster thinks McGrath has a great chance of making an Ireland matchday squad, particularly after a strong showing in Friday night’s draw at Castres and scoring a try in each of the previous four matches “I think he’ll be getting close. From my point of view I think he’s improved massively since I first arrived,” said Lancaster, who joined Leinster in September.

“I think the main thing he brings is a real athleticism and his ability to not only get the ball away quickly but to bring a running game into the equation. His kicking game has been good ... but the best nines have a running threat and a passing threat and a kicking threat, and I think Luke has improved in all three and I think the try that he scored (against Montpellier) was a great example of that.

“Hopefully in the Six Nations...he has some good scrum-halves ahead of him as well but he’s been knocking on the door, I would have thought.”

McGrath’s former Leinster half-back partner Ian Madigan accepts he has to do some even harder knocking if he is to persuade Schmidt to call him up from Bordeaux- Begles.

Speaking to RTÉ Sport, Madigan admitted: “I lost a bit of momentum with the injury I had, but it’s about going back to the things that have worked for me throughout the years, playing flat to the line.

“You always hold out hope (for Ireland selection). Saturday (against Ulster) was just about getting momentum back into my season. I haven’t had the consistent run of form that I think should warrant an international call-up.

“You’ve got to show extended form for that. The Six Nations is a long competition and if I can get a run of games under my belt and put my hand up for selection, it’s another player for Joe to select from.”

more courts articles

Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother
Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van
Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman

More in this section

Joe McCarthy 25/3/2024 Cullen names raft of international returnees in side to face Bulls
Jake White during the warm-up 23/3/2024 Jake White: 'I'll keep coaching as long as I love it'
Louis Rees-Zammit file photo Louis Rees-Zammit reportedly signs for Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs
Sport Push Notifications

By clicking on 'Sign Up' you will be the first to know about our latest and best sporting content on this browser.

Sign Up
Sport
Newsletter

Latest news from the world of sport, along with the best in opinion from our outstanding team of sports writers

Sign up
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited