Ireland manager Andy Farrell has called up five new international players to the 40 – member squad for the three – match New Zealand Test tour, which will measure the progress of both countries ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup. Joe McCarthy, the young second-rower, retains Leinster team-mate Sierra Frawley and winger Jimmy O’Brien, while Munster Stallwart Jeremy L‌fhman and Conach winger Cian Prendergast complete the list of uncapped players. Unlike veteran Johnny Sexton, the injured hooker Ronan Kelleher, winger Andrew Conway, Robert Balkoon and center Chris Farrell will not be on the trip.

The series of Tests begins on July 2 at Eden Park in Auckland, followed by Tests in Dunedin and Wellington. The first Test against the Maori All-Blacks will be played in Hamilton on June 29 and another midweek match will be played against them in Wellington on July 12. “This is the start of our Rugby World Cup campaign and a great challenge for our group, which faces five major Tests in these three weeks.», Obvious Andy Farrell.
This will be Ireland’s first tour of the Southern Hemisphere since beating Australia 2-1 in 2018 and their first tour of New Zealand since 2012.

Irish victory over All Blacks in November

⁇Because of Kovid, we didn’t get a chance to go on tour, and tours play a big role in keeping teams together on and off the pitch.“Farrell continues. Connacht manager Peter Wilkins will join Farrell’s assistant during the tour.

The Irish can expect a tough warm-up against the Maori All Blacks, and their coach Clayton McMillan has included a number of international players in the list released on Wednesday. So in the final of their 2010 meeting in Rotorua, they beat Ireland 31-28 and retained full-back Josh Ioney, along with skipper Half TJ Perena, Brad Weber and prop tyrant Lomax.