Some big calls here…
Joe Schmidt has announced his 31 man squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England.
The squad is divided into 17 forwards and 14 backs and does feature some big selection calls with the most notable being the omission of Ulster winger Andrew Trimble whose injury against Wales in Cardiff looks to have cost him dearly.
Paul O’Connell captains the squad which features a whopping 17 players who will feature in their first World Cup.
Injury doubt Cian Healy has been included in the squad as has his Leinster teammate Tadhg Furlong.
Ireland’s first game of the tournament comes against the Canadians at the Millennium Stadium Cardiff on Saturday 19th September.
Ireland Rugby World Cup 2015 Squad
Name/Club/Province/Caps
Forwards (17)
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) 84
Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 45
Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 1
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 51
Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) 74
Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 19
Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster) 18
Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 19
Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster) 12
Sean O’Brien (UCD/Leinster) 36
Paul O’Connell (Young Munster) 103 captain
Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 31
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster) 51
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster) 30
Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster) 9
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 26
Nathan White (Connacht) 2
Backs (14)
Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) 62
Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) 9
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 41
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster) 30
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht) 11
Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster) 12
David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster) 9
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 63
Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster) 20
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 36
Jared Payne (Ulster) 7
Eoin Reddan (Old Crescent/Leinster) 63
Jonathan Sexton (St Mary’s College/Leinster) 52
Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster) 17
