Ultan Dillane replaces injured Ryan Baird in Ireland squad

Peter O’Mahony and Chris Farrell set to join squad next Monday after isolating

Connacht secondrow Ultan Dillane has been called into the Ireland squad for the remaining Six Nations games against Italy and France. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Connacht secondrow Ultan Dillane has been called into the Ireland squad for the remaining Six Nations games against Italy and France. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho

Following on from the loss of Jordan Larmour for the entirety of Ireland's forthcoming six Test programme with the dislocated shoulder he suffered against Benetton last Saturday, 21-year-old lock Ryan Baird has been ruled out of the rearranged Six Nations games at home to Italy next Saturday week and France in Paris seven days later.

Baird suffered an abductor strain in the same game and in confirming that Larmour “will not be available to play any role in this autumn international window” an IRFU statement added: that the uncapped Baird “has been ruled out of the two remaining Six Nations fixtures.”

Connacht's Ultan Dillane has been added to the squad.

Meanwhile, Finlay Bealham and Dave Heffernan are progressing through the return to play protocols after suffering head knocks in Connacht's defeat by Cardiff.

READ MORE

The Leinster trio of Johnny Sexton (hamstring), Rónan Kelleher (quad) and Andrew Porter (hamstring) will all "be monitored this week with a view to commencing training next week."

Furthermore, Peter O'Mahony and Chris Farrell were identified as close contacts of a Munster player who tested positive for Covid-19 early last week, although the statement added both players "are Covid clear and will complete the period of isolation before joining the squad on Monday."

The rest of the squad convened on Wednesday at the High Performance Centre in Abbotstown, and the statement also confirmed: “All players and management produced negative PCR tests on Monday ahead of entering national camp.”

Ireland squad

Backs (15)
Bundee Aki (Connacht) 26 caps
Ross Byrne (Leinster) 6 caps
Jack Carty (Connacht) 10 caps
Andrew Conway (Munster) 21 caps
Shane Daly (Munster) uncapped
Chris Farrell (Munster) 9 caps
Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) uncapped
Robbie Henshaw (Leinster) 43 caps
Hugo Keenan (Leinster) uncapped
Kieran Marmion (Connacht) 27 caps
Stuart McCloskey (Ulster) 3 caps
Conor Murray (Munster) 81 caps
Garry Ringrose (Leinster) 29 caps
Jonathan Sexton (Leinster) 91 caps
Jacob Stockdale (Ulster) 28 caps

Forwards (19)
Finlay Bealham (Connacht) 9 caps
Tadhg Beirne (Munster) 13 caps
Ed Byrne (Leinster) uncapped
Will Connors (Leinster) uncapped
Jack Conan (Leinster) 17 caps
Ultan Dillane (Connacht) 15 caps
Caelan Doris (Leinster) 2 caps
Cian Healy (Leinster) 98 caps
Dave Heffernan (Connacht) 1 cap
Iain Henderson (Ulster) 55 caps
Rob Herring (Ulster) 11 caps
Rónan Kelleher (Leinster) 3 caps
Peter O'Mahony (Munster) 67 caps
Andrew Porter (Leinster) 26 caps
Quinn Roux (Connacht) 12 caps
James Ryan (Leinster) 26 caps
John Ryan (Munster) 21 caps
CJ Stander (Munster) 41 caps
Josh van der Flier (Leinster) 26 caps