World Rugby News > Ireland, Six Nations
Ireland Six Nations Squad
Ulster hooker Rory Best has been named in Ireland’s extended 44-man squad for the RBS Six Nations Championship. Even though he has not played this season because of a serious neck injury however he has resumed contact training. Prop Marcus Horan also returns after his lengthy injury layoff.
Rory Best
The squad contains nine uncapped players, with Ulster pair Dan Tuohy and Declan Fitzpatrick the newest members to the squad for this season.
The other uncapped men are Leinster’s Fergus McFadden, Kevin McLaughlin, Devin Toner and John Fogarty, Leicester wing Johne Murphy, Connacht prop Brett Wilkinson and Ulster number eight Chris Henry. Shane Jennings is named in the squad after his return to playing.
Ireland are without injured duo Luke Fitzgerald and Denis Leamy and hopefully will lose no further players before the competition opens..
Ireland squad
Rory Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Isaac Boss (Ballymena/Ulster), Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster), Tom Court (Malone/Ulster), Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht), Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster), Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster), Ian Dowling (Shannon/Munster), Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster), Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster), Declan Fitzpatrick (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster), John Fogarty (De La Salle Palmerston/Leinster), John Hayes (Bruff/Munster), Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster), Chris Henry (Ballymena/Ulster), Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster), Shane Horgan (Boyne/Leinster), Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster), Shane Jennings (St.Mary’s College/Leinster), Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster), Fergus McFadden (UCD/Leinster), Kevin McLaughlin (UCD/Leinster), Johne Murphy (Leicester), Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster), Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster), Mick O’Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster) , Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster), Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster), Tomas O’Leary (Dolphin/Munster), Sean O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster), Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster), Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster), Jonathan Sexton (St Mary’s College/Leinster), Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster), Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster), Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster), Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster), David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster), Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster), Brett Wilkinson (Galwegians/Connacht).
Ireland begin their campaign with a home game against Italy at Croke Park on Saturday 6 February.
Ireland A will play two international games in quick succession, against England Saxons on 31 January and Scotland A at Ravenhill on 5 February.
