Ulster duo Jamie Benson and James McNabney have been handed their first Ireland call-ups for November’s Nations Championship matches.

Former England Under-20 international Benson joined Ulster from Harlequins in the off-season and is Irish qualified through his Belfast-born mother.

The 24-year-old has featured at centre for the majority of his short Ulster career to date but can also play at fly-half.

Back row McNabney, 23, had been in Ireland training squads before and returned to action over the summer after a year on the sidelines with an ACL injury.

Prop Andrew Porter, forward Ryan Baird and wings Mack Hansen and Tommy O’Brien all return to the squad after missing the summer’s matches.

Head coach Andy Farrell has a had to deal with a lengthy injury list, with captain Caelan Doris among those sidelined.

Fly-half Jack Crowley is also missing through injury, as is Jack Boyle, Harry Byrne, Jack Conan, Iain Henderson, Paddy McCarthy, Calvin Nash and Bryn Ward.

In the absence of Doris, his Leinster team-mate Dan Sheehan will captain Ireland.

Scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park has been named despite not featuring for Leinster this season with a groin injury.

“It’s always going to test you when you’ve got a couple of injuries in one position,” Farrell said.

“But that’s not just up to the guys who are stepping in, it’s also up to the rest of the squad to make sure that we’re all rolling together and keep taking steps forward.”

The Ulster duo of Zac Ward and Cormac Izuchukwu have missed out on selection, as has Munster prop Jeremy Loughman.

Ireland will face Argentina at the Aviva Stadium on Friday, 6 November before Fiji travel to Dublin on 14 November.

Farrell’s side then host world champions South Africa on 21 November before the finals weekend at the Allianz Stadium in London the following week.

Ireland started their Nations Championship campaign with victories over Australia and Japan but New Zealand came out on top in the third summer Test.



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