Izuchukwu named in Ireland rugby squad for inaugural series

Tullamore native Cormac Izuchukwu has been named in the Ireland men’s squad for the inaugural Nations Championship Southern Hemisphere Series.

The Ulster lock forward is included in the 36 player squad, announced by coach Andy Farrell, which will depart for Sydney on Monday for test games against Australia, Japan and New Zealand.

Izuchukwu made his first start for Ireland against Italy during this year's Guinness Six Nations Championship and will be hoping to add to his four international appearances during the course of the test series.

Ireland open their Nations Championship campaign against Australia at a sold-out Allianz Stadium in Sydney on Saturday, July 4 (11.10am Irish time), before going head-to-head with Japan at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Saturday, July 11 (11.10am Irish time).

Farrell’s side then travel to Auckland for a Round 3 clash with New Zealand on Saturday, 18 July (8.10am Irish time), with all matches in the Nations Championship live on Virgin Media One.

Ireland Squad

Forwards

Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(70)

Billy Bohan (Corinthians/Connacht)

Thomas Clarkson (Blackrock College/Leinster)(13)

Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(59)

Caelan Doris (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)(captain)(60)

Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(86)

Sam Illo (Buccaneers/Connacht)

Cormac Izuchukwu (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(4)

Sean Jansen (Connacht)

Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(48)

Jeremy Loughman (Garryowen/Munster)(8)

Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(24)

Darragh Murray (Buccaneers/Connacht)(3)

Tom O’Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(21)

Cian Prendergast (UCD/Connacht)(11)

James Ryan (UCD/Leinster)(80)

Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(39)

Tom Stewart (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(5)

Nick Timoney (Queen’s University/Ulster)(11)

Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(79)

Backs

Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(69)

Rob Baloucoune (Enniskillen/Ulster)(8)

Harry Byrne (Lansdowne/Leinster)(4)

Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster)(28)

Nathan Doak (Banbridge/Ulster)(1)

Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(12)

Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(51)

Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster) (84)

Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(46)

Stuart McCloskey (Bangor/Ulster)(28)

Jimmy O’Brien (Naas/Leinster)(11)

Tommy O’Brien (Blackrock College/Leinster)(9)

Jamie Osborne (Naas/Leinster)(15)

Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster)(15)

Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)(74)

Jacob Stockdale (Lurgan/Ulster)(42).