This summer Ireland will tour Georgia and Portugal and will select a young squad that will see players who went on the two Emerging Ireland tours alongside some already established names to see who may be in a position to make the permanent step up to the Irish senior set up on a regular basis.
Here is the squad I have selected to tour. I know some of the players I have selected may miss out through injury or suspension.
Forwards –
Jack Boyle, Jordan Duggan, Tom O Tooole – LH
Tom Stewart, Diarmuid Barron, Gus Mc Carthy – Hooker
Oli Jager, Jack Auniger, Thomas Clarkson – TH
Tom Ahern, Darragh Murray, Cormac Izuchkwu , Evan O Connell – SR
Alex Kendellan, Gavin Coombes, Dave Mc Cann, James Culhane, Cian Prendergast, Max Deegan, John Hodnett – BR/No.8
Backs –
Craig Casey, Fintan Gunne, Ben Murphy – SH
Jack Crowley, Sam Prendergast, Jack Murphy – FH
Hugh Gavin, Jude Postlewaite, Cathal Forde, James Hume – Centre
Shane Boulton, Jimmy O Brien, Tommy O Brien, Diarmuid Killgallon, Calvin Nash – Wing
Ben O Connor, Andrew Osbourne, Jamie Osbourne – FB