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Schmidt adds Roux to thicken Ireland's squad for SA

Joe Schmidt and Ireland. (AFP PHOTO / PAUL FAITH)
Roar Guru
25th May, 2016
55

Joe Schmidt has announced his 32-man Ireland squad to tour South Africa in a three-Test series this June.

Connacht and South Africa seem to be the major winners, with five players from the surprise success of the western province, and three residency-qualified South African players to boost their forward stocks. With two Kiwis, and an Australian also in the squad, Ireland are fast becoming the Project Player Nation as they face the Springboks undergoing Nation Transformation.

In cooking, the head chef sometimes creates a roux sauce to thicken up an existing dish and give it more consistency. Schmidt has selected his own Roux to strengthen Ireland’s forward stock. Quinn Roux, a former Western Province player in SA, now plays for Ireland’s western province, Connacht.

Roux moved to Leinster on a one-year deal back in 2012. He then got a two-year extension. In his second season, he was loaned out to development province Connacht for a few months to get some games. Then the loan was extended until the end of the season and the completion of his Leinster contract. Leinster didn’t want to renew but Connacht offered him another two-year contract. He qualified for Ireland on residency last year but wasn’t considered. Now Schmidt has decided to give him the nod – and he joins fellow countrymen, CJ Stander and Richardt Strauss in the Ireland squad.

Another tour newbie is Australian-born, Finlay Balham who moved to Ireland at 19 to see if he could get pro contract after failing to make the Brumbies academy. His mother’s family is from Ireland and he started to play for a local club, then got a chance with Ireland U20s, went to Ulster and then moved to Connacht. He was capped in the Six Nations this year.

Sean Reidy, a Kiwi playing for Counties Manakau, upped sticks to take a one-year contract with Ulster in 2014. His grandmother is from Kerry. He was given a two-year extension by Ulster, and may gain his first cap on tour.

The rest of the Ireland squad is more familiar, but also contains some conspicuous absences with Cian Healy, Sean O’Brien, Tommy Bowe, Peter O’Mahony, and Simon Zebo on the injury list.

Other Test players such as Ulster flanker, Chris Henry, Munster opensider Tommy O’Donnell, and 10/12 utility back Ian Madigan have not made the cut, although the latter’s impending move to France next season may have had some bearing on his non-selection.

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The front row has a familiar enough look with Ross, Best and McGrath likely to be the starters. Devin Toner is likely to be joined by newcomer, Ultan Dillane, the Connacht lock fast making a name for himself. An alternative might be the rumbling Ulster giant Iain Henderson.

In the backrow, Heaslip will be anchoring Stander at 6, and either Ruddock or Reidy at 7.

Murray and Sexton will form the half-back partnership, with Ulster playmaker Paddy Jackson on the bench. Connacht’s Kieran Marmion, a nominee for player of the season back home, may get the nod for the bench ahead of the highly-experienced Eoin Reddan.

Schmidt will be looking for experience and defensive prowess in his backline, particularly midfield, and he’s likely to go with Henshaw and Payne, as he favours the Kiwi’s defensive nous that was critically missing in the Rugby World Cup against Argentina. Two of Payne’s Ulster colleagues, Stuart Olding and Luke Marshall will be hoping to get some midfield gametime during the series.

Schmidt likes his left wingers to be left-footed, and with Zebo out of the picture, Keith Earls is the likely choice, with Dave Kearney or Andrew Trimble taking the other wing spot, and anchored by Rob Kearney.

Schmidt might throw the dice and put Payne in his favoured position at full-back, but unlikely in the first Test that he and his squad will be targeting for a first-ever victory on South African soil.

Can Ireland do it? The bookies say no, but every now and then, they lose on a bet. Here’s hoping.

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Full Ireland squad:

Props
Finlay Bealham (Corinthians/Connacht)
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)
David Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Jack McGrath (St Marys/Leinster)

Hookers
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) (capt)
Sean Cronin (St Marys/Leinster)
Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster)

Locks
Ultan Dillane (Corinthians/Connacht)
Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
Quinn Roux (Galwegians/Connacht)
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)

Backrows
Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) (vc)
Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Sean Reidy (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Rhys Ruddock (St Marys/Leinster)
CJ Stander (Munster)

Half-backs
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht)
Eoin Reddan (Old Crescent/Leinster)
Jonathan Sexton (St Marys/Leinster)
Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster)

Midfield
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Luke Marshall (Ballymena/Ulster)
Stuart Olding (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Jared Payne (Ulster)

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Back 3
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock/Leinster)
David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)

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