Ulster duo Jamie Benson and James Mc Nabney have been handed their first Ireland call-ups for November's Nations Championship matches. Former England Under-20 international Benson joined Ulster from Harlequins in the off-season and is Irish qualified through his Belfast-born mother. The 24-year-old has featured mostly at centre during his short Ulster career but can also play at fly-half.
Back row Mc Nabney, 23, had been in Ireland training squads before and returned to action over the summer after a year on the sidelines with an ACL injury. Prop Andrew Porter, forward Ryan Baird and wings Mack Hansen and Tommy O'Brien all return to the squad after missing the summer's matches.
Head coach Andy Farrell has had to deal with a lengthy injury list, with captain Caelan Doris among those sidelined. Fly-half Jack Crowley is also missing, as is Jack Boyle, Harry Byrne, Jack Conan, Iain Henderson, Paddy Mc Carthy, Calvin Nash and Bryn Ward. Dan Sheehan will captain Ireland in Doris's absence, and scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park has been named despite a groin injury that has kept him out of Leinster action this season.
Ireland face Argentina at the Aviva Stadium on Friday, 6 November, before Fiji visit Dublin on 14 November and world champions South Africa arrive on 21 November. Farrell said it was "always great" to give players their first international call-ups, adding that he wants his side to keep progressing ahead of the World Cup, now less than a year away.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing