Farrell calls on Ireland greenhorns to grab World Cup seat

There will be disappointment in Munster to have only two representatives in a group featuring 17 Leinster, nine Ulster and eight Connacht players.

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell during an Ireland Men's Rugby Squad Announcement at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Andy Farrell jump-started the selection race to next year’s World Cup in Australia as he challenged Ireland’s less experienced players to make the most of their opportunities, starting with next month’s Nations Championship fixtures.

The Ireland head coach named a 36-player squad on Wednesday for home matches against Argentina, Fiji and South Africa and welcomed confirmation of three matches for his second-string Ireland XV, starting against Fiji A in Cork on Friday, November 20.

Ulster pair Jamie Benson and James McNabney are the only uncapped players in Farrell’s senior selection, which will be captained in Caelan Doris’s absence by hooker Dan Sheehan. But there are eight further squad members with less than 10 caps and the boss wants to see each of them progress their claims to one of the 33 World Cup squad places on offer in 12 months.

“It's always great to give people a chance for the first time,” Farrell said in an in-house interview, “although Jamie Benson came into camp with us in the summer before we went away.

“So, it was great to get to know him and see what he's all about. But he started the season really well in a few different positions for Ulster... that shows his versatility.

“And James McNabney as well. We had him into (an alignment) camp on August 31… and that just goes to show we've been interested in him for a while. He's some specimen of a man. And he certainly runs his weight. So, exciting to get those two boys in.

“But also to make sure that we keep progressing with the lads that's had a lot of firsts over the last 18 months…. playing in Australia or Auckland for the first time or playing France away or whatever that may be.

“Using those experiences, whether it be a successful one in the Irish shirt or not. And making sure we use those type of experiences to grow in the next 12 months. Because we all know what's coming up at the end of that.”

There are welcome returns for lock/flanker Ryan Baird and wings Mack Hansen and Tommy O’Brien after they each missed the summer tour due to injury while opportunities for those newer recruits will be enhanced by the absences of several experienced players still or newly injured. The IRFU squad release name-checked Jack Boyle, Jack Crowley, Harry Byrne, Jack Conan, Doris, Iain Henderson, Paddy McCarthy, Calvin Nash and Bryn Ward.

That opens the door for the likes of fly-half/centre Benson, a summer signing from Harlequins, who joins Sam Prendergast and Ciaran Frawley as Farrell’s options at 10 with Byrne and Crowley absent. Injuries to Doris, Conan and Ward have opened up back-row places for fit-again lock-flanker Ryan Baird and as well as McNabney, there is a chance for summer debutant Sean Jansen of Connacht and his provincial captain Cian Prendergast to nail down spots.

There will be disappointment in Munster that lock/flanker Tadhg Beirne and scrum-half Craig Casey are the only representatives in a group featuring 17 Leinster, nine Ulster and eight Connacht players.

Munster loosehead Jeremy Loughman backed up Andrew Porter in the Tests against Australia and New Zealand but is a doubt for this Saturday’s URC derby against Leinster with a fresh knee injury. There was also optimism uncapped back-rower Brian Gleeson, a try scorer from No.8 in the 33-25 win over Racing at the weekend, would have his early-season performances recognised but he appears to have missed out to McNabney.

Ireland open their campaign against Argentina on Friday, November 6 (8.10pm), before playing Fiji on Saturday, November 14 (8.10pm) ahead of facing world champions South Africa on Saturday, November 21 (4.40pm), with the Nations Championship Finals Weekend taking place a week later at Twickenham.

Ireland Squad - Nations Championship Northern Hemisphere Series:

FORWARDS - 19: Ryan Baird (Leinster) (33 caps), Tadhg Beirne (Munster) (73), Billy Bohan (Connacht) (1), Thomas Clarkson (Leinster) (16), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster) (88), Sam Illo (Connacht) (1), Sean Jansen (Connacht) (2), Rónan Kelleher (Leinster) (51), Joe McCarthy (Leinster) (26), James McNabney (Ulster) – uncapped, Darragh Murray (Connacht) (3), Tom O’Toole (Ulster) (24), Andrew Porter (Leinster) (79), Cian Prendergast (Connacht) (11), James Ryan (Leinster) (83), Dan Sheehan (Leinster) (41) – captain, Tom Stewart (Ulster) (6), Nick Timoney (Ulster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster) (81).

BACKS - 17: Bundee Aki (Connacht) (72), Rob Baloucoune (Ulster) (9). Jamie Benson (Ulster) – uncapped, Craig Casey (Munster) (30), Nathan Doak (Ulster) (2), Ciaran Frawley (Connacht) (15), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster) (53), Mack Hansen (Connacht) (30), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster) (85), Hugo Keenan (Leinster) (48), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster) (31), Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster) (14), Tommy O’Brien (Leinster) (9), Jamie Osborne (Leinster) (17), Sam Prendergast (Leinster) (17), Garry Ringrose (Leinster) (76), Jacob Stockdale (Ulster) (43).