Andy Farrell has rejigged his Ireland squad for the November 1 international versus the All Blacks in Chicago following a wounding weekend of United Rugby Championship action.<\/p>\n
The series-winning 2025 British and Irish Lions head coach last week named a 34-man squad for the November internationals, a four-match campaign that starts in the USA versus New Zealand before three games in Dublin against Japan, Australia and South Africa.<\/p>\n
Farrell\u2019s original squad contained 21 players from Leinster<\/a>, five from Connacht, four from Munster<\/a> and four from Ulster.<\/p>\n Three other players \u2013 Munster duo Edwin Edogbo and Brian Gleeson, and Connacht\u2019s Shayne Bolton \u2013 were also named as cover to travel to America for the All Blacks<\/a> game, making it an overall Ireland<\/a> player travelling contingent of 37.<\/p>\n Farrell, though, will now fly to Chicago on Tuesday with just 36 \u2013 a squad of 35 (now consisting of 22 Leinster, five Munster, four Connacht and four Ulster) and one cover player (Connacht) \u2013 following an attritional weekend on the provincial front.<\/p>\n \u201cContinue to be assessed\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Mack Hansen has been ruled out with the foot injury he sustained when scoring for Connacht against the Bulls, while respective hip and groin issues are affecting Connacht\u2019s Bundee Aki and Leinster\u2019s Robbie Henshaw. They will both travel to the USA, but their availability will continue to be assessed, according to an IRFU statement.<\/p>\n This situation has resulted in head coach Farrell calling up Tom Farrell, the uncapped midfielder from Munster, and Jimmy O\u2019Brien of Leinster to the official squad that now only has one cover player \u2013 Bolton \u2013 as the Munster duo Edogbo and Gleeson have been ruled out with respective concussion and elbow injuries.<\/p>\n The IRFU statement read: \u201cMunster\u2019s uncapped centre Tom Farrell and Leinster\u2019s Jimmy O\u2019Brien have been added to the Ireland squad ahead of the Gallagher Cup match against New Zealand and for the Quilter Nations Series.<\/p>\n Leinster v Munster: Five takeaways as \u2018inspired\u2019 Jack Crowley serves up \u2018masterclass\u2019 ahead of Ireland versus All Blacks<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cBundee Aki (hip) and Robbie Henshaw (groin) will continue to be assessed and will travel with the squad on Tuesday. Mack Hansen suffered an aggravation of a foot injury in the closing stages of Connacht\u2019s game against the Bulls and has been ruled out.<\/p>\n \u201cMunster duo Edwin Edogdo (concussion) and Brian Gleeson (elbow), who had been due to travel with the squad to Chicago, have also been ruled out. There are no further additions to the squad.\u201d<\/p>\n This belated inclusion of midfielder Farrell might now dilute the heavy criticism head coach Farrell has faced in the wake of Munster\u2019s convincing 31-14 dismissal of Leinster. Farrell scored a superb first-half try and would have had a second but for four play resulting in the referee instead awarding a penalty try and a yellow card against Leinster.<\/p>\n Coach Farrell was heavily criticised for the Leinster dominance<\/a> in his squad, a debate fired up by Munster leading the way in the URC with four wins and Leinster adrift in 12th place with one win. It resulted in the head coach being accused of picking his Ireland squad on reputation and not form, especially in the instance of the Munster midfielder who was overlooked until Monday\u2019s squad update.<\/p>\n