Waterford’s Tom Ahern is set to make his first senior start for Ireland on Saturday evening.
Ireland Men’s interim Head Coach Paul O’Connell has named the Ireland team to face Portugal in the second game of the two-Test Summer series on Saturday evening in Estádio Nacional do Jamor, Lisbon.
Ahern comes in for his first start having made his debut in Tbilisi last weekend and he will partner Darragh Murray at second row, with the front row of Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy and Thomas Clarkson unchanged.
There are two debutants in the starting XV with Connacht’s Shayne Bolton lining out on the left wing in a back three featuring Leinster duo Jimmy O’Brien, who continues at full-back, and right wing Tommy O’Brien.
The backline sees one further change from the side that defeated Georgia in Tbilisi last weekend, with Munster’s Jack Crowley set to earn his 26th appearance at out-half alongside captain Craig Casey who continues at scrum-half. Stuart McCloskey and Jamie Osborne will link up once more in midfield.
Up front, Munster’s Alex Kendellen (cap number 1,176), who led Emerging Ireland on last year’s winning tour to Bloemfontein, will make his first international appearance in a back-row which includes Ryan Baird and the returning Cian Prendergast.
The third potential debutant sees Connacht’s Hugh Gavin promoted to the replacements bench and the former Ireland Under-20 Grand Slam winner, who like his provincial team-mate Bolton scored on his Ireland ‘A’ debut in February, is joined by Ben Murphy and Ciaran Frawley as Ireland’s backline replacements.
Tom O’Toole joins Tom Stewart and Michael Milne in providing front-row impact off the bench, with Cormac Izuchukwu and Max Deegan completing the replacements.
Portugal will become the 21st nation that Ireland has awarded caps against and the first “new” nation since facing Russia in 2002.
5 July 2025; Tom Ahern of Ireland during the International Rugby Test match between Georgia and Ireland at at Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi, Georgia. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Looking ahead to this weekend’s fixture in Lisbon, Paul O’Connell said:
“I have been really pleased with the attitude of the players over the last number of weeks. The dedication and diligence of the squad in testing conditions over in Tbilisi demonstrated the players’ willingness to embrace challenges and hopefully that bodes well again this weekend.
This Saturday presents another opportunity to go out and try to play our game. Portugal are another impressive emerging side who look to play an exciting brand of rugby and we know that we’re in for another battle hopefully in front of another big crowd of travelling supporters. To our three new debutants – Shayne, Alex and Hugh – congratulations on their selection. The team will try to deliver a positive performance for them and their families.”
Saturday’s game in Lisbon will be Ireland’s 765th Men’s Test and it will be broadcast live on Virgin Media.
Ireland Men’s Team & Replacements
15: Jimmy O’Brien (Naas/Leinster)(9)
14: Tommy O’Brien (UCD/Leinster)(1)
13: Jamie Osborne (Naas/Leinster)(8)
12: Stuart McCloskey (Bangor/Ulster)(20)
11: Shayne Bolton (Connacht)*
10: Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(25)
9: Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster)(captain)(19)
1: Jack Boyle (UCD/Leinster)(3)
2: Gus McCarthy (UCD/Leinster)(5)
3: Thomas Clarkson (Dublin University/Leinster)(7)
4: Tom Ahern (Shannon/Munster)(1)
5: Darragh Murray (Buccaneers/Connacht)(1)
6: Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(28)
7: Alex Kendellen (UCC/Munster)*
8: Cian Prendergast (UCD/Connacht)(4)
Replacements:
16: Tom Stewart (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(3)
17: Michael Milne (UCD/Munster)(1)
18: Tom O’Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(16)
19: Cormac Izuchukwu (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(2)
20: Max Deegan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(3)
21: Ben Murphy (Clontarf/Connacht)(1)
22: Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(8)
23: Hugh Gavin (Galwegians/Connacht)*
