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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Michael Scully

Andy Farrell ready to show his hand for Ireland's All Blacks tests

Andy Farrell will show his hand today for Ireland's three Test tour of New Zealand.

With two midweek games against the Maori All Blacks also pencilled in, Farrell is poised to name up to 42 players in his squad for the eagerly anticipated trip.

The group will travel next week ahead of the opening game of the tour against the Maori All Blacks on Wednesday, June 29.

Farrell will reveal his player picks before lunchtime and Ireland fans will be hoping a number of star names who are injury doubts make the cut.

James Lowe has been dealing with an ongoing shin problem and the mercurial winger missed Leinster's URC semi-final loss to the Bulls last Friday night, but he will push hard to make the trip back to his native land.

Similarly, Michael Lowry sat out Ulster's semi-final defeat to the Stormers on Saturday having undergone facial surgery.

Lowry, who could do a job for Farrell at full-back, on the wing or at out-half if needed, suffered an injury around the eye area in the final regular season victory over the Sharks.

His in-form provincial colleague Robert Baloucoune came off injured against the Stormers and that will have concerned Farrell.

Munster's poacher supreme Tadhg Beirne hasn't played since the Six Nations but, having seen a specialist over his thigh injury, he was close to returning for the URC quarter-final defeat to Ulster.

Leinster hooker Rónan Kelleher has had an injury disrupted few weeks.

Kelleher missed a lot of the Six Nations with a shoulder problem, then had to return from Leinster's South Africa trip in April before their first fixture with another shoulder injury.

The 24-year-old suffered a similar issue early in the Champions Cup final loss to La Rochelle and has not played since.

Farrell will be optimistic that his skipper, Johnny Sexton, has recovered from the ankle injury that saw him miss Leinster's URC quarter-final win over Glasgow and come off the bench in the province's semi-final defeat.

The same goes for Tadhg Furlong, who has also been nursing an ankle injury but is equally indispensable for a tour of this importance as Ireland seek to win on Kiwi soil for the first time.

Given the intensity of the schedule, Farrell will put an emphasis on versatility and so there is likely to be room for Leinster's Ciaran Frawley, who can play at centre or out-half, while his Blues colleague Joe McCarthy could also travel.

With Jack Carty ruled out with a wrist injury, it remains to be seen if Farrell brings a third out and out no 10 behind Sexton and Joey Carbery.

Ireland tour (all games kick off at 8.05am Irish time)

June 29 - Maori All Blacks v Ireland, Hamilton.

July 2 - New Zealand v Ireland, Auckland

July 9 - New Zealand v Ireland, Dunedin

July 12 - Maori All Blacks v Ireland, Wellington

July 16 - New Zealand v Ireland, Wellington

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