Offaly man called into Irish Six Nations Rugby squad

AN Offaly man has won a late call up to the Irish rugby squad for the forthcoming Six Nations campaign.

Tullamore man Cormac Izuchukwu was among the players who assembled at the IRFU High Performance Centre on Sunday to big preparations for the annual championship.

The Ulster forward was not among the original 37 man man released last week but was drafted in to replace Munster's Tom Ahern.

A former member with Tullamore Rugby Club, Izuchukwu won three Irish caps last year, having joined the Ulster Academy for the 2020/2021 season and has since established himself there.

Izuchukwu is one of several enforced changes to the travelling party ahead of the pre-tournament training camp in Portugal.

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Jack Boyle sustained a leg injury during Leinster’s derby win in Galway, and Connacht’s uncapped prop Billy Bohan will join the training camp in Quinta do Lago.

Tom Ahern is replaced by Cormac Izuchukwu, while Robert Baloucoune will continue to be assessed over the coming days after being withdrawn at half-time during Ulster’s defeat away to the Scarlets.

Ireland will launch their Guinness Men’s Six Nations campaign away to France on Thursday week (February 5) (kick-off 9.10pm local time/8.10pm Irish time).