Advertisement League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Behind the Lines Sportswriters discuss their careers and the work that inspires them. Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories Jack Boyle won his first two caps for Ireland in the Six Nations.Alamy Stock Photo Who are the fresh faces Ireland could look to for their summer tour? Recent debutants will look to kick on as others step up from Emerging Ireland and Ireland A squads. 7.55pm, 18 Mar 2025 Share options THE EXACT DETAILS have yet to be confirmed. We’re not sure exactly what the Irish coaching staff will look like either with Lions appointments to be confirmed next week. But there’s no doubt that this summer’s trip to Georgia and Portugal is an important stepping stone for Ireland. It might end up going under the radar because it coincides with the Lions tour, but diehard Ireland fans are probably already excited about the prospect of seeing a fresh-looking team play two July Tests. The first game against Georgia in Tbilisi promises to be a belter. The Lelos are ranked 11th in the world and just claimed their eighth Rugby Europe Championship in a row. Back in November, they came close to beating Italy while they enjoyed a good win over Tonga. They have major ambitions to be at rugby’s top table consistently so the visit of Ireland will be a big chance for Richard Cockerill’s side to prove a point. Portugal finished fourth in the Rugby Europe Championship and though they’re ranked 18th in the world, they’re capable of playing thrilling rugby. Their 2023 World Cup win over Fiji was spectacular and Simon Mannix’s men will look to run the ball in the Lisbon sun against Ireland. Throw in the fact that the tourists will still be without head coach Andy Farrell, a notable crop of first-choice players, and at least three other members of staff, and these should be interesting, challenging games. The main reason for excitement among Ireland fans will be the fresh faces. Inexperienced players will be getting chances to stake their claim for more prominent roles over the next two years leading into the 2027 World Cup. This tour will give players who have broken into the senior set-up in the last few seasons the chance to take on more responsibility. There will certainly also be a fair few stepping up from recent Emerging Ireland and Ireland A squads. Gus McCarthy and Cormac Izuchukwu.Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy, and Thomas Clarkson will look to build on their first few Test caps this season, an important step given how often Irish rugby’s front row depth has been discussed in recent years. Scrummaging against the Georgians is a true litmus test. Advertisement If fit and available, the likes of Ulster hooker Tom Stewart and Ulster prop Tom O’Toole will be keen to get back up and running with Ireland, the latter still only 26 and of interest on both sides of the front row. Connacht tighthead Jack Aungier has trained with Ireland’s senior squad, Oli Jager would love to add to his one cap, and there are prospects like Leinster loosehead Paddy McCarthy to consider. Munster’s Diarmuid Barron and Leinster’s Stephen Smyth were the two hookers for Ireland A last month. Having a bit of experience in the pack can be useful so it will also be interesting to see if Ireland bring along players like Finlay Bealham and Rónan Kelleher if they miss out on Lions selection. The same is true in the second row where Joe McCarthy continues to learn at the highest level but faces plenty of competition for a Lions spot, along with James Ryan. Powerful players like them would add a huge amount. Ulster’s Cormac Izuchukwu would benefit from another chance in the green jersey after his debut last autumn, while Cian Prendergast was unlucky to miss out on the Six Nations game against Wales due to illness. The Connacht man could be a contender to skipper Ireland’s tour. Still only 25, Ryan Baird is in that category of player who could take more of a leadership role, while fringe senior back rows like Nick Timoney, Max Deegan, and Gavin Coombes will be hoping that this is their chance to prove themselves. Thomas Ahern is another 25-year-old who is clearly athletically gifted but he has yet to win an Ireland cap. There would be great value in exposing high-potential uncapped back rows such as Brian Gleeson and James McNabney to international rugby as soon as possible. Those two have the athletic prospects to excel and there’s little reason to hold them back, while lock Diarmuid Mangan is another whose athleticism has caught Ireland’s eye. Second rows Conor O’Tighearnaigh, Darragh Murray, Evan O’Connell, and Fineen Wycherley were involved with Ireland A recently, while back rows Alex Kendellen, Sean Jansen, James Culhane, and Alex Soroka were also in the squad and Munster’s John Hodnett trained with the senior side. Craig Casey will hope to pick up where he left off with Ireland.Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO 25-year-old scrum-half Craig Casey should be back from injury and is another strong candidate for the leadership group, while Ben Murphy recently spent time with Ireland as a development player. His fellow Connacht scrum-half Matthew Devine has potential but hasn’t been able to kick on with his province yet. 23-year-old Nathan Doak has been in the senior set-up and recently did well for Ireland A in trying circumstances, as did Leinster’s lively Fintan Gunne, so there are a few good contenders at scrum-half. It remains to be seen if any Irish out-halves travel with the Lions but if not, there would be value in all of 22-year-old Sam Prendergast, 25-year-old Jack Crowley, and 27-year-old Ciarán Frawley spending more time with Ireland this summer. That’s presuming Crowley extends his contract with Munster into next season. There are other young out-halves around the provinces, while Harry Byrne is due to return to Leinster next season following his loan spell with Bristol, but the existing trio are all still learning. The usual midfield group of Bundee Aki, Robbie Henshaw, and Garry Ringrose will hope to be on the Lions tour, while 32-year-old Stuart McCloskey is a well-known entity as an international centre, so this is a good chance to broaden an already strong pool. It remains to be seen if Ireland view Jamie Osborne as a fullback or centre for the long-term but there are other midfield prospects in Connacht’s Hugh Gavin and Ulster’s Jude Postlethwaite, who recently did well as a pairing for Ireland A. Cathal Forde has shown his promise in Connacht, while Hugh Cooney and Charlie Tector have done the same with Leinster. Ulster man James Hume, who already has three senior caps and is still only 26, is back from a long-term knee injury so could come into the mix. Given the stranglehold Hugo Keenan, James Lowe, and Mack Hansen have had on Ireland’s back three slots, the tour in July seems like a prime chance to build competition in this area of Ireland’s squad. Connacht centre Hugh Gavin recently impressed for Ireland A.Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO Uncapped wings like Tommy O’Brien, Shayne Bolton, Diarmuid Kilgallen, and Andrew Osborne fit the bill, while the Irish coaches have kept an eye on the development of 7s international Zac Ward in Ulster and academy fullback Ben O’Connor in Munster. But previously capped players will be hoping for further chances. Versatile back Jimmy O’Brien hasn’t played for Ireland since the 2023 World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand, while Osborne has looked the part at fullback so far. Calvin Nash has stepped in on the right wing in Hansen’s absence and he’s another existing senior squad member who would enjoy taking on a more prominent role on tour. Jacob Stockdale has plenty of Test rugby experience but not much of it in recent years. Ireland would obviously love everyone they bring on tour this summer to shine but the reality is that they only need four or five of them to push forward as genuine first-team contenders in the coming years. There is already a well-established group of core senior internationals who will drive things on in the coming years, but Farrell would love to return from Lions duty with more fresh faces having put their hands up in his absence. Murray Kinsella View 7 comments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “Who are the fresh faces Ireland could look to for their summer tour?”. Recipient's Email Feedback on “Who are the fresh faces Ireland could look to for their summer tour?”. Your Feedback Your Email (optional) Report a Comment Please select the reason for reporting this comment. Please give full details of the problem with the comment... This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. 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