Casey emerges as Irish leader in a refreshed summer squad

The 42

a day ago

THE LAST YEAR has been one of highs and lows for Craig Casey with Ireland.
Back in July 2024, he was handed the number nine jersey for the first Test against the Springboks in South Africa and made an impressive start before being knocked out in a challenge from RG Snyman.
With first-choice scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park already missing through injury, Casey had to sit out the second Test as a result, watching from the sideline as Andy Farrell's men beat the Boks in Durban.
Casey picked up where he left off last November, though, impacting off the bench against Argentina, shining in a try-scoring start versus Fiji, then helping to swing the game in Ireland's favour as a replacement when Joe Schmidt's Australia visited Dublin.
Casey looked set for a big 2025 Six Nations with Ireland, only for disaster to strike in December when he injured his knee in a Champions Cup game for Munster against Castres. The Limerick man underwent surgery and was ruled out for four months.
It would have been easy for Casey to feel sorry for himself, but he's an upbeat, energetic character. He threw himself into rehabilitation with intent, getting back on the pitch around a month earlier than initially expected.
He returned with a superb try-scoring display in Munster's URC win over Connacht in Castlebar and hasn't let up since. Still only 26, Casey has taken his game to a new level despite the injury setbacks over the last year.
He has always been a brilliant passer of the ball, but his decision-making is better than ever, he is playing with obvious self-belief, has honed his kicking into a weapon, and defends with an aggression that belies his physical stature.
Now, he's the Ireland captain.
Craig Casey has always been a leader. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Casey was skipper for Ardscoil Rís during his school days. He was captain of the Ireland U18s in 2017 and was a vice-captain for the Ireland U20s.
He has been a leader in the Munster squad for a long time. He was only 20 when Johann van Graan added him to the province's leadership group alongside the likes of Peter O'Mahony.
Casey hasn't been named as Munster captain for a game yet, but he has been heavily involved in driving the team, even more so as he has emerged as first-choice ahead of Conor Murray in the last two seasons.
Indeed, Casey was strongly considered as O'Mahony's successor as Munster skipper when the latter stepped down from that role last season. That role eventually went to Tadhg Beirne but Casey's influence has only continued to grow in the Munster set-up.
He made an immediate impression with his professionalism upon joining the senior Ireland set-up in the 2020/21 season, with then captain Johnny Sexton comparing Casey to World Cup-winning England out-half Jonny Wilkinson.
Casey captained Ireland A against the All Blacks XV in November 2022 and though he has had plenty of frustration with selection amid the competition with Gibson-Park and Murray, he is clearly still on an upward trajectory.
All of this leaves him well-placed to skipper Ireland's tour to Georgia and Portugal. It's a huge honour to become the 112th captain of Ireland since 1875, while this trip also allows him to maintain match sharpness in case an injury call comes from Andy Farrell's Lions.
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Casey is a fitting choice because he still only has 18 caps. He's been around for a while now but he's certainly not one of the old guard. Most of them are on the Lions tour or missing this Irish trip on account of injuries.
Casey leads an Irish squad that blends 11 uncapped youngsters with a host of lightly-capped fringe Ireland players, and a few experienced heads. With 15 senior men away on Lions duty, there is a welcome refreshed look to Paul O'Connell's group.
Leinster props Thomas Clarkson and Jack Boyle. Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
Jack Boyle gets the chance to continue his emergence at loosehead prop, with Michael Milne rewarded for his strong start to life with Munster with a call-up. It's a positive message from the IRFU's point of view that a player who left Leinster to get game time has so quickly been rewarded. The explosive Leinster loosehead Paddy McCarthy, who has had a frustrating season involving just three appearances, completes the loosehead stocks.
51-times capped Finlay Bealham is one of the wise old heads and another who is on the Lions' standby list, while Tom O'Toole seemingly gets the chance to focus solely on tighthead as Thomas Clarkson continues his development.
Among those to miss out are Connacht's Jack Aungier, who has trained with the senior squad previously, Ulster's promising Scott Wilson, and the once-capped Oli Jager, whose frustrating season ended in injury.
21-year-old Gus McCarthy is the most experienced hooker going on tour but has already shown his potential, while the return of Tom Stewart is welcome. It's not that long ago that the 24-year-old Ulster man was being heralded as a future star for Ireland along with Dan Sheehan and Rónan Kelleher.
Leinster academy hooker Stephen Smyth has yet to start a senior game for his province and has made only four appearances, but he has seemingly done well in Emerging Ireland and Ireland A camps, so the Irish coaches have opted for the 20-year-old's potential ahead of more experienced hookers around the provinces such as Lee Barron.
The make-up of the squad suggests that Cormac Izuchukwu, Ryan Baird, and Tom Ahern will feature as second rows, as well as offering dynamism at blindside flanker, and Connacht's gritty, powerful Darragh Murray is the only out-and-out lock in the group.
Dynamic Leinster lock Diarmuid Mangan and Munster lineout specialist Evan O'Connell may have been close to making this squad.
Munster man Gavin Coombes will be excited about his chance at number eight with Caelan Doris and Jack Conan out of the picture for now, while Cian Prendergast and Max Deegan will be leaders in the group.
Nick Timoney and Alex Kendellen complete the back row contingent as the likes of Connacht's Sean Jansen and Munster's John Hodnett miss out. The Irish coaches seemingly rate Kendellen higher than Hodnett, who has been the first-choice openside for Munster ahead of Kendellen.
Joining Casey in the scrum-half crop are Connacht's Ben Murphy, another who has thrived this season after leaving Leinster, and Ulsterman Nathan Doak, still only 23 but not far off being a centurion for his province.
Ben Murphy was Fans' Player of the Years and Men's Player of the Year in Connacht. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
With Gibson-Park away and Murray having retired from Ireland duty, this is a look to the future. Fintan Gunne and Matthew Devine must wait in the wings for now.
The out-half trio of Sam Prendergast, Jack Crowley, and Ciarán Frawley is unchanged and it will be fascinating to see how selection for the number 10 shirt goes in these two Tests. Away from the limelight of the Six Nations, this could be an important window for those playmakers.
With Robbie Henshaw missing out, Ulster's Stuart McCloskey takes on the role of senior centre and is joined in midfield by exciting Connacht prospect Hugh Gavin and Leinster's Jamie Osborne, who is also a strong option at fullback and can play on the wing too.
With Jude Postlethwaite only added as a training panellist, Ireland aren't heavy on centres, but Frawley, Crowley, Tommy O'Brien, Jimmy O'Brien, and Shayne Bolton have some history in the midfield.
Many Irish fans were hoping to see Munster's Tom Farrell rewarded for his excellent first season with the southern province, but Ireland have opted against calling the uncapped 31-year-old up. In the end, the Irish coaches have opted for 21-year-old Gavin's potential.
Promising Leinster centre Hugh Cooney is another who might have been among those hoping to squeeze in, but just two Tests meant the squad was never likely to be too big.
Of course, Leinster man Tommy O'Brien will be hoping to make his impact on the wing, where he has been impressive this season. Connacht's Bolton has also shone out wide when available. Both of them have had more than their fair share of injury travails.
Jacob Stockdale, Calvin Nash, and Jimmy O'Brien provide a relative dollop of nous in the back three contingent, with Stockdale's 38 caps making him the most experienced player in the squad behind Bealham. Stockdale has enjoyed a strong season for Ulster and with James Lowe away, will be eyeing the number 11 shirt.
Given that four of his five starts for Ireland so far have been at fullback, Osborne appears to be the leading contender in that slot. Stockdale recently switched to the number 15 shirt for Ulster after a long hiatus from that role but he is best on the left wing.
Jacob Stockdale has been in flying form. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Munster's Diarmuid Kilgallen might have been hoping to make a late dash onto this tour, while Ulster's Zac Ward will join the group in Dublin as a training panellist later this month to continue his development in the 15s game.
So there is a nice blend to this Ireland squad and while O'Connell and his makeshift coaching team will be targeting two wins against Georgia and Portugal, they know it is about development too.
If they can win while polishing a couple of gems from the group of 11 uncapped players and seeing a couple of fringe players transform into genuine first-team contenders, it will be a worthwhile exercise.
Ireland squad:
Props: Jack Boyle, Michael Milne, Paddy McCarthy, Finlay Bealham, Tom O'Toole, Thomas Clarkson
Hookers: Gus McCarthy, Tom Stewart, Stephen Smyth
Second rows: Ryan Baird, Cormac Izuchukwu, Tom Ahern, Darragh Murray
Back rows: Gavin Coombes, Max Deegan, Alex Kendellen, Cian Prendergast, Nick Timoney
Scrum-halves: Craig Casey (captain), Ben Murphy, Nathan Doak
Out-halves: Jack Crowley, Sam Prendergast, Ciarán Frawley
Centres: Stuart McCloskey, Hugh Gavin, Jamie Osborne
Back threes: Jacob Stockdale, Calvin Nash, Jimmy O'Brien, Shayne Bolton, Tommy O'Brien
Training panellists: James McNabney, Jude Postlethwaite, Zac Ward