Mossy Lawler: 'These players understand that this is an opportunity for them to stick their hands up at a higher level'

Munster assistant coach Mossy Lawler believes there is an opportunity for all those travelling to Spain to advance their Test claims at Estadio Municipal de Butarque.

STEPPING STONE: Munster assistant coach Mossy Lawler believes there is an opportunity for all those travelling to Spain to advance their Test claims at Estadio Municipal de Butarque. ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Ireland XV squad members set to face Spain in Leganés on Saturday have been challenged to take the next step towards Test selection this weekend.

A 28-player squad named by head coach Cullie Tucker two weeks ago assembled at the IRFU High Performance Centre in Abbottstown on Monday ahead of Thursday’s departure for Madrid and a game two days later which will offer them a chance to impress Andy Farrell and his national coaching team.

It is a squad including nine Test-capped Ireland internationals, captained by one of them, Ulster hooker Tom Stewart, and comprising players on the fringes of national team selection as well as longer-term prospects.

Munster assistant coach Mossy Lawler, the Ireland XV attack and backs coach under Tucker, the Connacht scrum coach, believes there is an opportunity for all those travelling to Spain to advance their Test claims at Estadio Municipal de Butarque.

“It's a really, really exciting squad,” Lawler told the Irish Examiner. “Really, really exciting young talent that's coming in through the country.

“Obviously, Ireland are playing Japan (in Dublin on Saturday) and off the back of their New Zealand game so, from our point of view, a lot of young lads that have put their hands up in the URC over the last couple of weeks, they're going to get their opportunity to shine in a national jersey and put their step forward.

“If you look at the amount of people that played last year in the A games and who are in that senior squad now, it's just another stepping stone for these guys to put their hand up and stake a claim for what's coming over the next couple of months.” 

Prop Tom O’Toole is the squad’s most experienced international with 17 Ireland caps, captain Stewart has made five Test appearances while wing Rob Baloucoune and fly-half Harry Byrne have four each and back-three player Michael Lowry one with loosehead prop Michael Milne, lock Darragh Murray, wing Shayne Bolton and scrum-half Ben Murphy all making their debuts on the summer tour against Georgia and Portugal.

Lawler joins a coaching group led by Tucker with Jimmy Duffy serving as forwards coach and Sean O’Brien overseeing defence and the attack coach said the players understood the opportunity being presented to them.

“Everything has a purpose. It's not just a case of this match being put on to fulfil a fixture. Everything has a ‘why’ and these players understand that this is an opportunity for them to stick their hands up at a higher level and perform so the senior selectors, they catch their eye.

“It's a great opportunity to go and take it with both hands.” 

Ireland XV Squad: 

Forwards (16): L Barron (Munster), J Culhane (Leinster), S Illo (Connacht), S Jansen (Connacht), D Mangan (Leinster), D McCann (Ulster), J McKee (Leinster), M Milne (Munster), D Murray (Connacht), E O’Connell (Munster), T O’Toole (Ulster), R Quinn (Munster), A Soroka (Leinster), T Stewart (Ulster) – captain, A Usanov (Leinster), S Wilson (Ulster).

Backs (12): R Baloucoune (Ulster), S Bolton (Connacht), H Byrne (Leinster), N Doak (Ulster), C Forde (Connacht), F Gunne (Leinster), D Kelly (Munster), M Lowry (Ulster), B Murphy (Connacht), J Murphy (Ulster), J Postlethwaite (Ulster), Z Ward (Ulster).