Ireland Rugby: Tom Stewart among four uncapped players in summer squad but no Robert Baloucoune
- Published
Hooker Tom Stewart has had a breakthrough season with Ulster
Ulster hooker Tom Stewart is one of four uncapped players in Ireland's 42-strong summer training squad to prepare for the Rugby World Cup.
Leinster duo Ciaran Frawley and Jamie Osborne are also included, along with Munster's Calvin Nash.
Ireland captain Johnny Sexton is named despite not playing since the Six Nations with a groin injury.
Munster's Keith Earls is in too, but club team-mate Joey Carbery and Ulster wing Robert Baloucoune miss out.
Jordan Larmour, Shane Daly, Jean Kleyn and Jeremy Loughman are also not in the squad.
Andy Farrell's side face Italy (5 August) and England (19 August) in Dublin, plus Samoa in France (26 August), before the squad will be reduced to 33 players for the World Cup.
The tournament starts in France in September, where Romania, Tonga, South Africa and Scotland await Ireland in Pool B.
Stewart, who set the record for the most tries in a United Rugby Championship season with 16, is one of seven Ulster players named, including Jacob Stockdale, who last played for Ireland in 2021.
Stuart McCloskey, Iain Henderson, Tom O'Toole, Rob Herring and Kieran Treadwell make up the contingent, however there is no place for Michael Lowry, Nick Timoney or James Hume.
Long-serving winger Earls, 35, is chosen after helping Munster to the URC title on Saturday and Jack Crowley, who can play at fly-half or centre, is preferred to Munster team-mate Carbery.
Ireland squad
Forwards: Ryan Baird, Finlay Bealham, Tadhg Beirne, Jack Conan, Gavin Coombes, Caelan Doris, Tadhg Furlong, Cian Healy, Iain Henderson, Rob Herring, Ronan Kelleher, Dave Kilcoyne, Joe McCarthy, Peter O'Mahony, Tom O'Toole, Andrew Porter, Cian Prendergast, James Ryan, Dan Sheehan, Tom Stewart, Kieran Treadwell, Josh van der Flier.
Backs: Bundee Aki, Caolin Blade, Ross Byrne, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley, Keith Earls, Ciaran Frawley, Jamison Gibson-Park, Mack Hansen, Robbie Henshaw, Hugo Keenan, James Lowe, Stuart McCloskey, Conor Murray, Calvin Nash, Jimmy O'Brien, Jamie Osborne, Garry Ringrose, Jonathan Sexton, Jacob Stockdale.