How will Ireland line up against the USA?

Ireland’s June International series features one game vs the USA and two against Japan. All three matches are away from home. How will Ireland line up against the USA?

Missing to Lions
Ireland Head Coach Joe Schmidt is missing eleven players to the British & Irish Lions. Leading the list is regular captain and hooker Rory Best. Tadhg Furlong, Iain Henderson, Robbie Henshaw, Jack McGrath, Conor Murray, Sean O’Brian, Peter O’Mahony, Jared Payne, Jonny Sexton and CJ Stander.

The loss of such players will even out the levels though the Irish remain favorites to win all three matches. Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster are all competitive in the Guinness Pro 12 and all are well represented in the roster.

Despite so many players missing to the Lions Ireland still has a number of regulars. They include Keith Earls, Cian Healy, Paddy Jackson, Devin Toner and Simon Zebo. Schmidt will look to build the team around them.

New Blood
The selected squad contains nine uncapped players. Eight of these were named on the initial roster. They are John Cooney, Dave Heffernan, Rory O’Loughlin, Andrew Porter, James Ryan, Rory Scannell, Jacob Stockdale and Kieran Treadwell. Connacht second-rower Quinn Roux was subsequently added. He does so with one prior cap.

With 67 caps Cian Healy is the most experienced. Coming in next with 59 is Keith Earls. His likely involvement will not be at outside center but on the wing. This will enable to highly promising Garry Ringrose to wear the 13 shirt. Additional instances exist in the squad which could mean players with few or no caps start ahead of more experienced names.

Schmidt is yet to name a captain. Cian Healy, Paddy Jackson, Rhys Ruddock and Devin Toner are potentially the biggest possibilities with the uncapped James Ryan being an outside contender.

Assuming all roster members are fit then the following is the possible side. At present James Ryan is facing a race against time for fitness. This may see Quinn Roux starting. Also in up for grabs is fullback with Tiernan O’Halloran and Simon Zebo both strong contenders. The latter could very well move to the wing.

Possible Ireland Team
1 Cian Healy, 2 Niall Scannell, 3 John Ryan, 4 James Ryan, 5 Devin Toner, 6 Rhys Ruddock, 7 Tommy O’Donnell, 8 Jack O’Donoghue, 9 Kieran Marmion, 10 Paddy Jackson, 11 Keith Earls, 12 Paul Marshall, 13 Garry Ringrose, 14 Andrew Conway, 15 Simon Zebo

Replacements: 16 James Tracy, 17 David Kilcoyne, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Quinn Roux, 20 Dan Leavy, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Joey Carbery, 23 Tiernan O’Halloran