That’s actually a more exciting lineup than I was expecting tbh. Delighted Stockdale didn’t find his way into the 23. Must be a good while since there wasn’t a single Ulster player in an Irish 23?
The much maligned Gerry Thornley picked the exact team in the paper on Tuesday. Gerry’s sources are impeccable.
IRELAND (v France, possible): Hugo Keenan; Calvin Nash, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Tadhg Beirne, Joe McCarthy; Peter O’Mahony (capt), Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.
Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, James Ryan, Ryan Baird, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Ciarán Frawley.
That’s a sad enough state of affairs though. Not much talent coming through either, they will be desperately hoping for a southern hemisphere import to work out and keep some interest like Aki has done for Connacht.
I was under the impression that with the likes of Tom Stewart, David (almost typed Tiernan) McCann and Hume that the academy was starting to hum again.