Joey Carbery headlines a 28-man Ireland XV squad named by head coach Mark Sexton to face Fiji A at Cork’s Virgin Media Park on Friday, 20 November, offering the 31-year-old out-half a major opportunity to press for a senior international recall ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup in Australia.
Fantasy & Market Impact
- Out-Half Depth Chart: Carbery’s inclusion alongside Ulster’s Jack Murphy signals a shifting developmental focus, bypassing Charlie O’Shea for this fixture.
- Provincial Distribution: Munster heavily anchors the selection with nine players.
- Betting and Squad Futures: Fringe players facing Fiji A offer key opportunities for assessment as players look to put their hands up for future senior selection.
Carbery’s Return and the Road to Australia
Carbery’s inclusion in the developmental squad marks a significant career turn. He hasn’t featured for Ireland’s senior team since 2022, when he won the last of his 38 caps against Fiji. Head coach Mark Sexton has assembled an ambitious 28-man group designed to widen Andy Farrell’s player pool ahead of the Rugby World Cup in Australia. The squad will assemble in Cork on Monday, 16 November, ahead of the Friday night fixture.
The selection process highlights a clear developmental pathway. IRFU Performance Director David Humphreys noted that the Ireland XV programme bridges the gap between provincial rugby and the senior international setup. Alongside Carbery, Ulster’s Jack Murphy takes up the second out-half slot, while Charlie O’Shea misses out.
Munster’s Heavy Representation and Brookes’s Call-Up
Munster supplies nine players to the 28-man group, making them the most heavily represented province. Among them is 36-year-old tighthead prop Kieran Brookes, whose inclusion is a major talking point. Brookes last wore an Ireland jersey 18 years ago as a teenager before going on to play at senior Test level with England. Brookes has joined Munster, and has been named in the XV squad alongside fellow tighthead Jack Aungier.
Leinster hooker Gus McCarthy will captain the side, leading a contingent of six players from his province, including second row Conor O’Tighearnaigh, flanker Scott Penny, loosehead prop Alex Usanov, and scrum-half Fintan Gunne. Meanwhile, Connacht contributes seven players, featuring flanker Will Connors—who won the last of his nine Ireland caps back in 2021—alongside Eoin de Buitléar, Paul Boyle, Cathal Forde, Finn Treacy, Harry West, and Daniel Ryan.
Broader Fixture Block and Sizing Up Fiji A
The fixture at Virgin Media Park forms part of an exciting double-header in Cork, preceded by an uncapped Under-20 international between Ireland and Scotland at 5 pm, with the main fixture kicking off at 7.45 pm. Tickets for the event are currently on sale via Ticketmaster.
This will be a great opportunity to provide an ambitious playing group from across the four provinces with a meaningful fixture against what is a talented Fiji side,
Sexton stated. Following the November encounter in Cork, the Ireland XV programme continues into the New Year, with matches scheduled against Chile at Queen’s University in Belfast on Friday, 12 February, and away against England A at Sandy Park on Saturday, 20 February.
Additional Squad Selections
The wider 28-man squad includes several other notable names. In the forward pack, Munster’s selections feature Michael Milne, Brian Gleeson, and the Edogbo brothers, Edwin Edogbo and Sean Edogbo, alongside Tom Ahern. Ulster’s contingent is bolstered by David McCann and Cormac Izuchukwu. Among the backs, Munster’s Dan Kelly and Shay McCarthy earn deserved call-ups alongside Ulster’s James Hume, Ethan McIlroy, and Matthew Devine, and Connacht’s Daniel Ryan.
