Stockdale named in Ireland 'A' team for All Blacks XV clash

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Ireland coaching group have named the Ireland ‘A’ matchday squad that will take on the All Blacks XV at The RDS on Friday.

The Ireland ‘A’ side features 12 players who played against the Māori All Blacks during the July tour of New Zealand – Craig Casey, Gavin Coombes, Ciarán Frawley, Dave Heffernan, James Hume, Jeremy Loughman, Michael Lowry, Joe McCarthy, Jimmy O’Brien, Tom O’Toole, Cian Prendergast and Nick Timoney.

Jamie Osborne is one of three from the Emerging Ireland squad in the starting line-up alongside Prendergast and McCarthy.

Diarmuid Barron, Jack Crowley, Max Deegan and Calvin Nash, who were also on the Emerging Ireland Tour to South Africa, are named among the replacements.

Craig Casey will captain the side which features Jacob Stockdale, who last lined out for Ireland against Japan in July 2021, while among the replacements is Marty Moore whose last game for Ireland was against Scotland in March 2015.

Ireland ‘A’: 15 Michael Lowry, 14 Jimmy O’Brien, 13 Jamie Osborne, 12 James Hume, 11 Jacob Stockdale, 10 Ciaran Frawley, 9 Craig Casey (captain), 8 Gavin Coombes, 7 Nick Timoney, 6 Cian Prendergast, 5 Gavin Thornbury, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Tom O’Toole, 2 Dave Heffernan, 1 Jeremy Loughman.
Replacements: 16 Diarmuid Barron, 17 Dave Kilcoyne, 18 Marty Moore, 19 Ross Molony, 20 Max Deegan, 21 Caolin Blade, 22 Jack Crowley, 23 Calvin Nash.

Date: Friday, November 4
Venue: RDS Arena, Dublin
Kick-off: 19.45 (19.45 GMT; 08.45 NZDT Saturday, November 5)
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
Assistant referees: Adam Leal (England), Luc Ramos (France)
TMO: Sean Brickell (Wales)