Head coach Dan McFarland has named a 26-man squad for next month’s tournament, with Leinster’s Mike McCarthy named as skipper.
The squad includes 20 players uncapped at international level, while experience is provided by the likes of McCarthy, his Leinster teammate Jordi Murphy, Ulster winger Craig Gilroy and Munster duo Ian Keatley and Tommy O’Donnell.
The Emerging Ireland squad will play three matches in the IRB Nations Cup in Romania next month, kicking off with a clash against Russia on Friday 13 June, followed by a meeting with Uruguay five days later and a match against the hosts on Sunday 22 June.
Commenting on the selection, Ireland coach Joe Schmidt said: “There is a good mix of experienced and younger players in this squad. They will face three tough fixtures as Romania have already qualified for RWC15 and both Uruguay and Russia are in the final stages of the Repechage for World Cup qualification.”
Emerging Ireland squad (*denotes uncapped player):
FORWARDS
Niall Annett (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)*
Rodney Ah You (Buccaneers/Connacht)*
Michael Bent (Dublin University/Leinster)
Callum Black (Malone/Ulster)*
Paddy Butler (Shannon/Munster)*
Bryan Byrne (Clontarf/Leinster)*
Robin Copeland (Cardiff Blues)*
Sean Dougall (Dolphin/ Munster)*
David Foley (UL Bohemians/Munster)*
Mick Kearney (Clontarf/Connacht)*
Mike McCarthy (Lansdowne/Leinster) (c)
Tommy O’Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Dominic Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster)*
John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster)*
James Tracy (UCD/Leinster)*
BACKS
Michael Allen (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)*
Andrew Conway (Blackrock College/Munster)*
Craig Gilroy (Dungannon/Ulster)
Eoin Griffin (Galwegians/Connacht)*
JJ Hanrahan (UL Bohemians/Munster)*
Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster)
Brendan Macken (Blackrock College/Leinster)*
Paul Marshall (Ballymena/Ulster)
Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster)*
Johne Murphy (Young Munster/Munster)*
Noel Reid (Clontarf/Leinster)*
