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Slideshow: 6 Irish players that made the ‘A’ grade on Wolfhounds duty

Some big names plyed their trade with the A team for years before making the international breakthrough.

23/01/13 3,300 Views 2 Comments

THE IRELAND WOLFHOUNDS played their first game under that name in November 2009 but, in the three and a half years since, over 20 players have taken the step up to win senior caps.

The Wolfhounds will face an England Saxons side, on Friday, filled with Aviva Premiership stars. Will Fraser, Jordan Crane and George Ford are among a swathe of Saxons that will harbour ambitions of playing for their country on home soil in the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

The Irish team has an exciting batch of young players such as Rob Henshaw, Dave McSharry and Iain Henderson, who will hope to be established in the senior team by the time the World Cup rolls around.

Here are six players that should inspire them to do great deeds at the Sportsground on Friday evening:

Slideshow: 6 Irish players that made the ‘A’ grade on Wolfhounds duty
1 / 6

  • Simon Zebo hands off Ugo Monye to score a try

    Zebo has made a rapid ascent after making his debut away to the All Blacks last summer (©INPHO/Dan Sheridan)

  • Mike McCarthy gets stuck in against the Saxons

    A bit-part role looked McCarthy's lot with Ireland until he grabbed his senior chance with a man-of-the-match performance against the Springboks in November (©INPHO/Dan Sheridan)

  • Rory Best gets tackled by Paul Doran Jones

    Best was already established with the senior side when he put in a solid performance in an away defeat to the Saxons in 2010 (©INPHO/Dan Sheridan)

  • Donnacha Ryan claims a lineout against Argentina Jaguares

    Ryan has finally stepped out of the shadow of Munster teammate Donncha O'Callaghan (©INPHO/Dan Sheridan).

  • Mike Ross evades Scotland's Craig Hamilton

    Ross made his senior debut in May 2009 but was not the established Ireland tighthead until the 2011 Six Nations (©INPHO/Lorraine O'Sullivan).

  • Sean O'Brien makes a break against Fiji

    The Tullow Tank played his final Wolfhounds game against England, at The Rec, in January 2010. He is now the first-choice openside (©INPHO/Dan Sheridan).
  • Zebo has made a rapid ascent after making his debut away to the All Blacks last summer (©INPHO/Dan Sheridan)
  • A bit-part role looked McCarthy's lot with Ireland until he grabbed his senior chance with a man-of-the-match performance against the Springboks in November (©INPHO/Dan Sheridan)
  • Best was already established with the senior side when he put in a solid performance in an away defeat to the Saxons in 2010 (©INPHO/Dan Sheridan)
  • Ryan has finally stepped out of the shadow of Munster teammate Donncha O'Callaghan (©INPHO/Dan Sheridan).
  • Ross made his senior debut in May 2009 but was not the established Ireland tighthead until the 2011 Six Nations (©INPHO/Lorraine O'Sullivan).
  • The Tullow Tank played his final Wolfhounds game against England, at The Rec, in January 2010. He is now the first-choice openside (©INPHO/Dan Sheridan).

Fitzgerald and Henshaw named in Ireland Wolfhounds squad

Heaslip: O’Driscoll 100% behind my captaincy

About the author:

Patrick McCarry
@patmccarry
patrick@thescore.ie

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