Irish Rugby

Image source, Getty Images

With 16 players on British and Irish Lions duty this summer, interim Ireland head coach Paul O'Connell's 33-man squad for this summer's Tests against Georgia and Portugal features 13 uncapped players. BBC Sport NI takes a closer look at those hoping to feature in green for the first time.

Tom Ahern has been recognised by O'Connell after an impressive season with Munster, during which he made 19 appearances including five off the bench in the Champions Cup.

The 25-year-old lock made his Munster debut in 2020, has earned 65 caps and was part of the 2022-23 United Rugby Championship title-winning squad. In 2023-24, he scored eight tries in 23 outings.

Ahern, from County Waterford, featured for the Ireland under-20s during the 2019 World Rugby Under-20 Championship and was part of the 2022 Emerging Ireland tour of South Africa.

At under-20 level, he also helped Ireland win the Triple Crown during the Covid-hit 2020 Six Nations.

While his progress has been hindered by injuries, he has long been on the radar of Ireland's senior coaching staff. Invited to train with the squad during the 2021 autumn Tests and the past couple of Six Nations campaigns, Ahern hopes to finally earn his first senior international cap.

Capable of playing in the second and back rows, the 6ft 9in forward could learn a great deal under O'Connell, another totemic second row to have emerged from Munster.

He was nursing a hamstring injury but was passed fit on Tuesday.

Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI senior journalist

Image source, Inpho

Ireland interim assistant coach Denis Leamy says this month's Tests against Georgia and Portugal offer an exciting opportunity to introduce inexperienced players to senior international rugby.

With 16 Ireland players on British and Irish Lions duty in Australia, Ireland interim head coach Paul O'Connell - overseeing national team matters while Andy Farrell is away - has 13 uncapped players in a squad captained by 26-year-old Craig Casey.

The Irish face Georgia in Tbilisi on Saturday (18:00 BST) and Portugal in Lisbon on 12 July (19:00 BST).

"I think it's about implementing old and new into the Irish gameplan and playing the Irish way and seeing how players do in this environment and how they can produce big efforts and big performances," said Leamy, who has taken the Ireland defence coach role while on secondment from Munster.

"It's about building, I suppose, that catalogue of experience with those players and giving them a feel of what Test rugby looks like."

Image source, Getty Images

Ireland are first tasked with taking down Georgia, who are ranked 11th in the world and possess quality operators like 22-year-old back Davit Niniashvili, who will play under former Ireland fly-half Ronan O'Gara at La Rochelle next season.

"They're a very experienced Georgian team, a lot of them have played in World Cups. A huge amount of them play in the Top 14 so they're well accustomed to big games, being in tough environments.

"So it's a really good challenge for a young team and to go to Tbilisi, into a bit of a bearpit, it's going to physical, it's going to be hot, it's everything we want to expose our young players to."

Former back row Leamy - part of Ireland's 2009 Grand Slam-winning squad - also offered a positive fitness update on uncapped Munster forward Tom Ahern, who has been nursing a hamstring issue.

Calvin Nash is also fit, while uncapped Ulster prop Scott Wilson was added to the squad on Tuesday.

"He's fit and he's ready to go," Leamy said of Ahern.

"Tom has progressed hugely over the last couple of years and he's put in some excellent performances for Munster. So he's a guy we have high hopes for and absolutely, hopefully, he'll get game time and do really well.

"He's such a promising player, I've no doubt he can do that."

Image source, Inpho

Leinster and La Rochelle have again been paired together in the draw for the Investec Champions Cup pool stages.

The four-time champions and former Irish fly-half Ronan O'Gara's side have met six times in the past five seasons, including twice in finals won by the French outfit.

The other sides in Pool Three are English pair Leicester Tigers and Harlequins, Top 14 side Bayonne and United Rugby Championship (URC) rivals the Stormers, although Leinster will not play the latter given that they are in the same domestic competition.

Munster have also been handed a familiar opponent and will play Castres of the Top 14 for the 20th time in this competition.

The southern province, who will be under new head coach Clayton McMillan next season, will also play Bath, Toulon and Gloucester with Edinburgh the other URC representative in Pool Two.

Ulster will start the season in the Challenge Cup for the first time in their history and have been paired with Cardiff, Exeter Chiefs, Cheetahs, Racing 92 and Stade Francais.

They faced Exeter in last season's Champions Cup, and Racing the season before that, although have not faced Stade Francais since 2009 or the Cheetahs since they departed what was then the PRO14 in 2020.

The Challenge Cup does not have the same rule against playing teams from your own league so Ulster could face Cardiff given they will play four opponents from their six-team pool.

Former England coach Stuart Lancaster will guide Connacht in the second-tier competition with the western province handed a more varied draw than their Irish rivals.

They are in Pool One along with Montauban, promoted to the Top 14 this season, and Georgian side Black Lion.

URC duo Ospreys and Zebre, as well as French side Montpellier, are also in the group.

Full fixture dates, times, and locations will be confirmed at a later date.

EPCR pools involving Irish sides

Champions Cup Pool 2: Bath Rugby, RC Toulon, Munster Rugby, Castres Olympique, Edinburgh Rugby, Gloucester Rugby

Champions Cup Pool 3: Leinster Rugby, Leicester Tigers, Harlequins, La Rochelle, Bayonne, DHL Stormers

Challenge Cup Pool 1: Ospreys, Zebre Parma, Montpellier, US Montauban, Black Lion, Connacht Rugby

Challenge Cup Pool 3: Toyota Cheetahs, Cardiff Rugby, Exeter Chiefs, Racing 92, Stade Francais, Ulster Rugby

Nigel Ringland
BBC Sport Senior Journalist in Brisbane

Image source, Getty Images

Twelve months ago, Hugo Keenan was preparing for the Paris Olympics as a member of the Ireland Rugby 7s squad.

Now he’s ready to stake his claim for a British and Irish Lions test place and in doing so is creating a little bit of history.

When the Ireland full-back steps onto the pitch to face the Queensland Reds on Wednesday, he will become the first Irish player to represent his country at the Olympics and the Lions.

“I wouldn't compare one to the other. What comparison I would make is that when you come into a new squad it was deja vu to that nearly butterfly feeling in your stomach of the nerves of meeting guys you hadn't known before,” explained Keenan.

”It was similar in the Sevens squad. I knew maybe 50% of the lads in the squad and had close bonds with them similar to the Lions where you know all your country teammates and you've come across a few others along the way.

“But then there's also new lads here you need to get to know and build up those connections and I'm definitely taking some of the learnings I have from going off to a new team, a new squad, a new sport in one sense in the case of the Sevens and trying to bring it into the Lions.

“I've been lucky to have been a part of that Olympic journey and I'm lucky to be here today on this Lions journey. Just feeling very privileged.”

The Ireland full-back has been sidelined with a calf injury that caused him to miss Leinster’s end-of-season win in the United Rugby Championship and has led to a frustrating beginning to his Lions tour.

In his absence and that of Blair Kinghorn, who arrives in Brisbane on Monday evening following Toulouse’s win in the Top 14, the battle for the full-back shirt in the Test matches is wide open after England’s Elliot Daly stepped up against the Western Force by scoring two tries and putting in an impressive performance.

“It's been a frustrating couple of weeks missing out on the final with Leinster and then maybe not being able to participate as much at the start of this tour as I would have liked.

“But I'm excited now to put on the red jersey and looking forward to it. Thankfully the tour was never really in doubt and we were always targeting the Reds game, so thankfully it's been pretty smooth sailing.”

BBC Sport and Inpho present a selection of some of the best images from the British and Irish Lions' victory over Western Force at Optus Stadium, Perth

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

BBC Sport and Inpho present a selection of some of the best images from the British and Irish Lions Captain's run at the Optus Stadium, Perth, Australia

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

Connacht second row Josh Murphy has been called up to train with the Ireland squad as injury cover for Tom Ahern.

In a squad update issued on Friday morning, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) said Munster's Ahern was dealing with "hamstring tightness".

The uncapped Murphy will remain with the squad in Dublin before Wednesday's departure to Tbilisi ahead of Tests against Georgia on 5 July (18:00 BST) and Portugal in Lisbon on 12 July (19:00 BST).

The 30-year-old, who can operate in the second and back rows, has played 39 times for Connacht after joining from Leinster in 2022.

Having taken a year out of professional rugby in 2023-24, he returned last year and made 21 appearances - 17 of which were starts - for Connacht, scoring four tries.

Murphy is one of six training panellists in interim head coach Paul O'Connell's squad, alongside Brian Gleeson, Diarmuid Kilgallen, Evan O'Connell (all Munster), Jude Postlethwaite and Zac Ward (both Ulster).

Image source, Inpho

BBC Sport and Inpho present a selection of some of the best images from the British and Irish Lions golf outing at the Joondalup Resort in Perth, Australia

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

Image source, BBC Sport

Nigel Ringland
BBC Sport Senior Journalist in Perth

Image source, Getty Images

Tadhg Furlong pronounced himself ready for the challenges of a third Lions tour before Saturday’s first game on Australian soil against Western Force in Perth.

The 32 year-old is a veteran of the past two tours to New Zealand in 2017, which ended in a draw, and South Africa four years ago, when the Lions lost.

The Leinster prop, however, was a stalwart of both series playing in all six Tests and he’d like to extend that run Down Under.

"Would it be cool to say that I played in all three again?

"Yeah, it would. Is it something that motivates me at the minute? No.

"I think obviously after the result last weekend, we're looking straight ahead for this Saturday, so it's just about trying to get my best out on to the pitch and trying to get results with the lads,” explained Furlong.

Not so long ago there were doubts Furlong would make the squad. A calf strain was the latest in a long line of injuries that kept him sidelined for most of last season, missing Leinster’s URC win a couple of weeks ago.

"They're all short-term injuries, and you're always trying to get back for this game or that game.

"It's more a feeling of 'would you get picked, have you done enough'?"

Furlong will pack down in the front row against Western Force alongside his Leinster team-mate and Saturday's Lions captain Dan Sheehan.

"Knowing Dan, he doesn't overthink it a whole lot, and he always plays well, and I think he has the respect of the group.

"I'm delighted for him as a friend and a team-mate.

"He was a big old hooker and I remember him coming into a few scrum sessions.

"It's hard to find your slot, what's comfortable, what works for you.

"Then it just exploded for him. I'm not sure at what point, but when he came onto the scene, he came onto the scene quick."

Image source, Getty Images

This summer, another door will open for Ben Murphy.

A year ago, he was packing his bags and heading west after agreeing to join Connacht from Leinster.

It has proved a fruitful step. While he admits the province's 2024-25 season was "up and down", his progress was smooth.

He played 16 times and scored nine tries. Earlier this year, he was a training panellist on Ireland's Six Nations squad.

But now, with the country's frontline stars on British and Irish Lions duty, the 24-year-old scrum-half is keen to impress while swapping the green of Connacht for the similarly shaded Test jersey.

"From the outside looking in, it [receiving an Ireland call-up] probably would have been far-fetched," he admits.

"But I kind of felt that with the movements this year, Lions year and all that, that there was going to be an opportunity for a young scrum-half to come into the squad and I just wanted to put my best foot forward to be the one to be in that position.

"Thankfully I got an opportunity earlier with Connacht. I've managed to push forward and get into the squad so [I'm] delighted."

Image source, Inpho

After Ireland's summer's Tests against Georgia and Portugal, Murphy will return to the winds of change in Galway, with former England boss and Leinster senior coach Stuart Lancaster having recently taken the reins.

Murphy previously crossed paths with Lancaster while he was coming through the Leinster academy.

"I didn't feel we were too far away from being very good [last season]," added Murphy, who flourished in the latter stages of Pete Wilkins' tenure.

"And I think Stu has the ability to take us to that next step. He's been left a good foundation by the staff that were there last year but were ready to take that next step obviously next year."

With Ben on the cusp of a Test debut and his younger brother Jack establishing himself in the Ulster first-team under dad/head coach Richie, it has been a whirlwind couple of years for the Murphy clan.

"Yeah its been busy for my mum anyway," he smiled.

"She's been up and down the road a lot from Belfast to Galway to wherever. It has been hugely exciting obviously. Ulster have had their ups and downs as well as us.

"We've kind of been on a similar journey I feel. And Jack the same. Young half-back, learning his trade but he's starting to come into his own now. Massively exciting times for everyone."

Image source, Inpho

The three contenders for Ireland's starting fly-half jersey for the summer tour have a "very good dynamic", says coach Mike Prendergast.

Jack Crowley and Sam Prendergast have been been battling for the starting 10 shirt since the latter's debut in November, while Ciaran Frawley is a further option at fly-half.

Ireland, who will be led by Paul O'Connell in the absence of British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell, face Georgia and Portugal in two Tests on 5 and 12 July.

"In terms of what I've seen so far, they're pushing each other," said attack coach Prendergast.

"I always speak about being competitive and getting the best out of each other.

"The way you get the best out of each other is being competitive. From what I've seen, there's a very good dynamic there."

With 15 Ireland players involved with the Lions tour of Australia, and captain Caelan Doris ruled out by injury, Munster scrum-half Craig Casey will lead a youthful Ireland squad for the first time this summer.

Prendergast, who works day-to-day with Casey at Munster, believes the 26-year-old has "all the qualities" to be a good leader.

"It's great to have him as one, within the squad, and two, as a captain," coach Prendergast said.

"He's full of energy and he's a student of the game.

"Guys will listen because he's a guy who is incredibly diligent, he's all over his stuff and you always want people to follow that."

Image source, Inpho

Bundee Aki says it was "frustrating" that he did not link up better with midfield partner Sione Tuipulotu in the British and Irish Lions' defeat by Argentina in Dublin on Friday.

Andy Farrell's side were beaten 28-24 by the Pumas in what was their sole warm-up fixture before they head to Australia for a nine-game tour that includes three Tests against the Wallabies.

While there were encouraging signs with ball in hand, too often key passes did not stick and Aki felt he did not "connect well" with his fellow centre.

"We all know how Sione is as a player, he's class," said Aki, who was also on the Lions' tour to South Africa four years ago.

"The frustrating thing for me was I wasn't able to connect well with him. He's an unbelievable player and there's no excuse, we've got to get better as a partnership going forward."

After the stuttering start for the touring side, Aki believes individual combinations improving will be "better and beneficial for the group".

"He speaks out loud, which is good because that's what we need, him being himself and I just feed off him and he feeds off me. So it's brilliant," Aki said.

"We've just got to be better at it and keep learning together, the more we grow as a partnership and then as a group, it's going to be better and beneficial for the group."

Tuipulotu and Aki would both more regularly be deployed as inside centres, while fellow tourists Garry Ringrose, Huw Jones and Elliot Daly are all more used to wearing the 13 jersey.

Tuipulotu has an established partnership with Jones for both Glasgow and Scotland, while Aki and Ringrose know each other well from Irish sides.

Aki added: "Whoever it is, Garry, Huw, Elliot, as a unit we've got to make sure we gel together and try to get that cohesiveness fairly quick because we need to be better."

Image source, Getty Images

Australia head coach Joe Schmidt described Bundee Aki and Sione Tuipulotu as a "southern hemisphere centre partnership" when running the rule over Andy Farrell's first British and Irish Lions selection.

The Lions take on Argentina at the Aviva Stadium on Friday night in what is their only fixture before a nine-game game tour of Australia.

Ireland's Aki and Scotland's Tuipulotu, born in New Zealand and Australia respectively, will be the Lions' midfield pairing against the Pumas despite both players more usually starting at inside centre.

Schmidt gave Aki his Ireland debut after the 35-year-old Connacht man qualified on residency in 2017, while Tuipulotu has been able to captain Gregor Townsend's side thanks to a grandmother born in Greenock.

"A southern hemisphere centre partnership that will be pretty formidable," said Schmidt at the media conference to confirm his squad for next month's game against Fiji.

Schmidt added: "I coached Bundee for several years and know him really well and respect him massively as a player. He's a great contributor to the team environment.

"I've only had glancing conversations with Sione but again, by all accounts a champion bloke. You don't get to be captain of a national team without being a great bloke and really professional in those high-performance environments."

That eight of Andy Farrell's 38-man squad were born overseas has been a talking point before the side make the trip down under.

Lions assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth was later asked about Schmidt's comments and said every player involved in the tour has "earned the right" to represent the side.

"I don't know if they are questioning their commitment. Everyone has earned the right to pull on the Lions jersey," said the former England scrum-half.

"They are, to a man, incredibly proud to be here.

"It is not your background or how you have got here, it's what sort of player you are and what sort of man you are. We have got great men and great players."