Autumn internationals: Wing Stockdale returns to 37-man Ireland squad for first time since July 2021
- Published
Stockdale last played for Ireland in their July 2021 win over Japan in Dublin
Jacob Stockdale has been included in Andy Farrell's 37-man Ireland squad for the upcoming autumn internationals.
Injury has kept the Ulster wing out of the international set-up since his last cap in July 2021.
But he returns as James Lowe misses out with a calf injury.
Robert Baloucoune, Calvin Nash, Joe McCarthy and Cian Prendergast are named having featured on the recent Emerging Ireland tour.
Ireland open their autumn campaign against South Africa on 5 November before hosting Fiji and Australia.
Having not yet played this season due to injury, Ulster skipper Iain Henderson is left out alongside experienced Munster wings Keith Earls and Andrew Conway, both of whom have also missed the early weeks of the campaign.
Stockdale's return will allay concerns over the severity of the ankle knock he picked up in a defeat by Leinster at the start of October, which ruled him out of Ulster's two most recent games.
He missed all but one game of last season with a separate ankle injury, and therefore was absent from Ireland's 2021 autumn Tests, their most recent Six Nations campaign and their victorious three-match series in New Zealand.
Joining him in the backs is Munster's Nash, 25, who impressed during the three-match Emerging tour of South Africa.
Centre Stuart McCloskey has been rewarded for an impressive start to the season with a call-up having been a late addition to the New Zealand tour in July.
With Bundee Aki banned for the first two games, head coach Farrell names just three centres in his squad with McCloskey offering competition to Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose.
In addition to the 37-man panel, Farrell has named an additional 12 players in an Ireland 'A' squad who will link-up with the team after October's final round of United Rugby Championship fixtures.
Those players are likely to feature against an All Black XV squad at the RDS the day before Ireland play South Africa.
Ulster centre James Hume, another yet to play this season due to injury, is among the players included in the 'A' squad, alongside Munster fly-half Jack Crowley and highly-rated lock Tom Ahern.
Meanwhile, Ireland have confirmed they will host England in a friendly at the Aviva Stadium on 19 August as part of their preparations for the Rugby World Cup.
Ireland squad
Backs: Robert Baloucoune (Ulster), Joey Carbery (Munster), Craig Casey (Munster), Ciaran Frawley (Leinster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster), Mack Hansen (Connacht), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), Hugo Keenan (Leinster), Michael Lowry (Ulster), Conor Murray (Munster), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), Calvin Nash (Munster), Jimmy O'Brien (Leinster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Johnny Sexton (captain, Leinster), Jacob Stockdale (Ulster).
Forwards: Ryan Baird (Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Jack Conan (Leinster), Gavin Coombes (Munster), Caelan Doris (Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Dave Heffernan (Connacht), Cian Healy (Leinster), Rob Herring (Ulster), Jeremy Loughman (Munster), Joe McCarthy (Leinster), Peter O'Mahony (Munster), Tom O'Toole (Ulster), Andrew Porter (Leinster), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), James Ryan (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Nick Timoney (Ulster), Kieran Treadwell (Ulster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster).
Ireland 'A' panel: Tom Ahern (Munster), Diarmuid Barron (Munster), Caolin Blade (Connacht), Jack Crowley (Munster), Shane Daly (Munster), Max Deegan (Leinster), James Hume (Ulster), Dave Kilcoyne (Munster), Marty Moore (Ulster), Jamie Osbourne (Leinster), Scott Penny (Leinster), Roman Salanoa (Munster).
Do longer prison sentences reduce crime? Bad People goes in search of answers
A champagne lifestyle built on lies: The story of an intern who managed to con thousands of dollars
