Kidney announces Six Nations squad

Ireland coach Declan Kidney has announced a 39-man squad for the forthcoming RBS 6 Nations Championship which begins for Ireland when they take on France in Croke Park in just over two weeks' time.

The squad includes seven uncapped players and also sees the return of Leinster’s Gordon D’Arcy who made a welcome return recently to playing following a long-term arm injury.

Leo Cullen, Tony Buckley, Neil Best and Roger Wilson were not considered for inclusion in the senior squad due to either injury or suspension.

Kidney said: “We want to continue to develop a panel and bringing in 39 players allows to us to work with the players on this basis. As well as bringing the players through the systems of the team, it allows for the usual knocks the players might pick up.

"The core group of players who were part of the November squad have maintained their form but it is also pleasing to be able to bring in players who are really developing this season like Darren Cave and Tom Court as well as more established players who have performed well over the last number of weeks”."

Kidney also offered his thoughts on the Six Nations: “The RBS 6 Nations Championship is one of, if not the best annual international tournaments in the world and a great sporting occasion in Ireland. The Guinness Series in November was mission accomplished from a ranking point of view and the win against Argentina, although not the prettiest game anybody may have seen, was vitally important.

"The France game is another step above that as they can bring so much to their game and are incredibly dangerous in this tournament. The players' focus for the first week will be to set the foundations for the tournament and after that, the only focus we will have will be on our opening game against France.”

The squad in full:

Backs:

Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)

Ian Dowling (Shannon - Munster)*

Girvan Dempsey (Terenure College - Leinster)

Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins - Ulster)*

Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne - Leinster)

Keith Earls (Young Munster - Munster)

Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College - Leinster)

Shane Horgan (Boyne - Leinster)

Robert Kearney (UCD - Leinster)

Geordan Murphy (Leicester)

Brian O'Driscoll (UCD - Leinster)

Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution - Munster)

Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin - Munster)

Eoin Reddan (Wasps)

Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College - Leinster)*

Peter Stringer (Shannon - Munster)

Andrew Trimble (Ballymena - Ulster)

Paddy Wallace (Ballymena - Ulster)

Forwards:

Rory Best (Banbridge - Ulster)

Ryan Caldwell (Dungannon - Ulster)*

Bob Casey (London Irish)

Tom Court (Ballymena - Ulster)*

Stephen Ferris (Dungannon - Ulster)

Jerry Flannery (Shannon - Munster)

John Hayes (Bruff- Munster)

Cian Healy (Clontarf - Leinster)*

Jamie Heaslip (Naas - Leinster)

Marcus Horan (Shannon - Munster)

Bernard Jackman (Clontarf - Leinster)

Shane Jennings (St. Mary's College - Leinster)

Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution - Munster)

Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution - Munster)

Paul O'Connell (Young Munster - Munster)

Mick O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution - Munster)

Malcolm O’Kelly (St.Mary’s College - Leinster)

Alan Quinlan (Shannon - Munster)

Mike Ross (Harlequins)*

Donnacha Ryan (Shannon - Munster)

David Wallace (Garryowen - Munster)

* Denotes uncapped players.