Schmidt gives the nod to Munster-bound Copeland

Munster-bound No.8 Robin Copeland has reaped an instant reward for his decision to return to an Irish province next season by being named in Joe Schmidt’s extended Ireland RBS 6 Nations and Wolfhounds squad.

National head coach Schmidt yesterday named a 44-player group for next month’s Six Nations and the A international between the Irish Wolfhounds and England Saxons at Gloucester on January 25, with Cardiff Blues back rower Copeland, 26, one of seven uncapped players.

It was difficult to spring a surprise in such a largely populated squad but Schmidt has shaken things up to a degree, largely with the Woflhoundsfixture in mind, by naming Copeland, Connacht scrum-half Kieran Marmion and prop Rodney Ah You, the New Zealand-born tighthead who qualified for Ireland through residency last October, Ulster’s hooker Rob Herring and anotherrecently Irish-qualified player in back-rowRobbie Diack. They are all uncapped, as areLeinster tighthead Martin Moore and flanker Jordi Murphy, while the door remains open for injured or recently returned players like Donnacha Ryan.Simon Zebo, Tommy Bowe and Craig Gilroy to earn their places during the Six Nations campaign, which Ireland begin at home to Scotland on February 2.

Copeland’s inclusion follows a strong performance for his Welsh region against Toulon in Nice last weekend and comes at the expense of his prospective Munster team-mate James Coughlan, who was in Schmidt’s squad for the Guinness Tests against Samoa, Australia and New Zealand but remains uncapped. There was cheer for another Munster forward, however, as prop Dave Kilcoyne was yesterday recalled to the squad having been omitted from the autumn internationals. Kilcoyne, 25, lost out to Cian Healy, Jack McGrath and Tom Court in November but Court is the loosehead to miss out this time.

“As always a number of the selections were very tight,” Schmidt said. “Following on from the Guinness Series, there is an experienced core of players in the squad who will offer continuity, as well as some new additions who have been selected with an eye to the future.

“With Robin Copeland returning to play in Ireland next season it will be an opportunity for him to impress during the training week, while some of the younger or less experienced players such as Rob Herring, Iain Henderson, Rhys Ruddock, Kieran Marmion and Felix Jones have turned in some very positive performances to earn spots in the squad.”

Expect Schmidt to include those “younger or less experienced” men in tandem with a more battle-hardened core of players in the Wolfhounds squad to face the Saxons at Kingsholm before narrowing down his pool for the Six Nations opener following that match.

The absence through injury of Sean O’Brien will ignite a selection battle for the No 7 jersey with Schmidt selecting Ulsterman Chris Henry, Leinster’s aforementioned Jordi Murphy and Munster’s Tommy O’Donnell as his openside flanker, while Donnacha Ryan will have to see off Mike McCarthy, Devin Toner and Dan Tuohy if he is to partner provincial Paul O’Connell in the Ireland second row.

With Scotland providing the opening-day opposition, Ireland return to the Aviva Stadium six days later to face defending champions Wales before travelling to Twickenham to face England on February 22.

Schmidt’s team then welcome Italy back in Dublin on March 8 before closing the campaign in Paris against France on March 15.