Six Nations: Ireland release 11 players back to provinces for URC games
- Published
Iain Henderson will be available for Ulster's game with Cardiff on Friday
Ireland have released 11 players back to their provinces for upcoming United Rugby Championship games.
Robert Baloucoune, Iain Henderson, James Hume and Nick Timoney will be available for Ulster's home URC fixture with Cardiff on Friday.
Jack Carty and Dave Heffernan have returned to Connacht while Jordan Larmour, Jimmy O'Brien, Ross Molony are back with Leinster.
Munster will welcome back Craig Casey and Gavin Coombes.
Leinster travel to Benetton, Connacht are away to Edinburgh while Munster host Dragons.
It leaves Ireland head coach Andy Farrell with a 27-man squad as preparations commence for the Six Nations trip to England on 12 March after comfortably seeing off Italy on Sunday.
This week, Ireland will take part in a two-day training camp in Dublin which includes an open session alongside the Ireland Under-20s squad in front of 5,000 fans at the Aviva Stadium on Thursday.
As a result of restrictions brought about by the pandemic, it will be Ireland's first open training session during Farrell's tenure.
The IRFU have also said that centre Robbie Henshaw will undergo return to play protocols this week while prop Andrew Porter's training load will be managed following a rolled ankle.
Ulster prop Tom O'Toole is continuing his rehabilitation at the province after being ruled out of the Italy game with a hamstring strain, while scrum-half John Cooney is available for the Cardiff game after returning to training following a calf problem.
Ireland mini-camp training squad
Bundee Aki (Connacht), Ryan Baird (Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Joey Carbery (Munster), Jack Conan (Leinster), Andrew Conway (Munster), Caelan Doris (Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster), Mack Hansen (Connacht), Cian Healy (Leinster), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), Rob Herring (Ulster), Hugo Keenan (Leinster), Dave Kilcoyne (Munster), James Lowe (Leinster), Michael Lowry (Ulster), Conor Murray (Munster), Peter O'Mahony (Munster), Andrew Porter (Leinster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), James Ryan (Leinster), Johnny Sexton (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Kieran Treadwell (Ulster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster).
Released back to provinces for URC games
Robert Baloucoune (Ulster), Jack Carty (Connacht), Craig Casey (Munster), Gavin Coombes (Munster), Dave Heffernan (Connacht), James Hume (Ulster), Iain Henderson (Ulster), Jordan Larmour (Leinster), Ross Molony (Leinster), Jimmy O'Brien (Leinster), Nick Timoney (Ulster).