Breaking: Joe Schmidt Names 34-Man Ireland Squad For New Zealand Test

The Ireland Coaching Team have announced a squad of 34 players that will prepare for the fixture against New Zealand on Saturday 5th November.

The squad will gather in Carton House on Sunday 30th October following the Guinness Pro12 fixtures between Ulster and Munster (Friday 19.05) and Leinster and Connacht (Saturday 17.15).

The team departs Dublin for Chicago on Monday 31st.

There are six uncapped players named among the 34 man squad – Joey Carbery, Billy Holland, Luke McGrath, Garry Ringrose, John Ryan and James Tracy.

Ireland Head Coach, Joe Schmidt commented,

“Selections were difficult as always; trying to balance form, fitness, experience, combinations plus assess those players returning from injury or those carrying minor knocks or strains.

With more than half the squad likely to be involved in Pro12 action this weekend, plus the need to factor in the travel and fatigue from the Chicago fixture, there are also a number of players on standby who are likely to be involved during the first two weeks of the Guinness Series.“

Ireland Squad (v New Zealand, Soldier Field, Chicago, Saturday November 5th)

Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) captain
Joey Carbery (Clontarf/Leinster)*
Sean Cronin (St Mary’s College/Leinster)
Ultan Dillane (Corinthians/Connacht)
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
Tadgh Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)
Craig Gilroy (Ulster)
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) vice captain
Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
Robbie Henshaw (Leinster)
Billy Holland (Cork Constitution/Munster)*
Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster)
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
Kieran Marmion (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Luke Marshall (Ulster)
Jack McGrath (St Marys/Leinster)
Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster)*
Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
Sean O’Brien (UCD/Leinster)
Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Jared Payne (Ulster)
Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)*
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster)*
Jonathan Sexton (St Mary’s College/Leinster)
CJ Stander (Munster)
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
James Tracy (UCD/Leinster)*
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)
Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster