Ulster hooker Tom Stewart joins Ireland squad after Kelleher injury

The Ulster hooker Tom Stewart has joined the Ireland squad in Quinta do Lago to provide additional cover after it emerged that Ronan Kelleher picked up a hamstring injury in training. The unlucky Kelleher last played for Ireland in the round two fixture away to France a year ago and is now a big doubt for Ireland’s opening Guinness 2023 Six Nations game against Wales in the Principality Stadium.

An IRFU statement said: “Kelleher will be managed by the Ireland Medical team over the coming days.”

The 22-year-old, uncapped Stewart has scoffed seven tries in 11 appearances for Ulster this season and has usurped Dave Heffernan and Niall Scannell, both of whom featured on the summer tour to New Zealand.

A former Ireland Under-20 international, Stewart played twice for Emerging Ireland in the Autumn, starting in the victories over the Griquas and the Cheetahs. The Ireland coaching group also included him in the match day preparations for the Ireland ‘A’ game against the All Blacks XV in November.

The Counter Ruck: the rugby newsletter from The Irish Times

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The squad will continue to train at The Campus in Quinta do Lago this week before flying to Cardiff on Thursday in advance of the opening round of the 2023 Guinness Six Nations Championship.

Backs:

Bundee Aki (Connacht), Ross Byrne (Leinster), Craig Casey (Munster), Jack Crowley (Munster), Keith Earls (Munster), Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster), Mack Hansen (Connacht), Hugo Keenan (Leinster), Jordan Larmour (Leinster), James Lowe (Leinster), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), Conor Murray (Munster), Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster), Jamie Osborne (Leinster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Johnny Sexton (Leinster, capt), Jacob Stockdale (Ulster)

Forwards:

Ryan Baird (Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Jack Conan (Leinster), Gavin Coombes (Munster), Caelan Doris (Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Cian Healy (Leinster), Iain Henderson (Ulster), Rob Herring (Ulster), Ronan Kelleher (Leinster), Tom Stewart (Ulster), Dave Kilcoyne (Munster), Joe McCarthy (Leinster), Peter O’Mahony (Munster), Tom O’Toole (Ulster), Andrew Porter (Leinster), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), James Ryan (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster)