3 SA players in Ireland team as Mighty Quinn Roux gets call-up

South African rugby fans are by now used to seeing former Bulls loose forward CJ Stander and former Free State hooker Richardt Strauss playing in the emerald green jerseys of Ireland, and now former Stormers lock Quinn Roux joins the South African contingent in the Ireland team to tour South Africa in June. Roux was schooled at Affies in Pretoria, and was part of the Province team that won the 2012 Vodacom Cup. He played four games for the Stormers where he was thought to have more talent than Eben Etzebeth. In June 2012 he was signed by Leinster, but wasn’t able to show off his true potential due to injury. He joined Connacht last season on loan but has since made that deal permanent. He qualified to play for Ireland at the end of last season, and now that he has returned to full fitness and reinvented himself, he’s on the verge of making his international debut against the Springboks. Bok coach Allister Coetzee announces his squad on Saturday evening. – David O’Sullivan

Cape Town – The South African-born trio of CJ Stander, Quinn Roux and Richardt Strauss have been included in Ireland’s 32-man squad for their three-Test tour of South Africa.

The squad will depart for South Africa on Sunday, June 5 and will be based in Cape Town ahead of the first Test at Newlands (June 11) before moving to Johannesburg for the second Test at Ellis Park (June 18).

Rugby Union - South Africa v Samoa - IRB Rugby World Cup 2015 Pool B - Villa Park, Birmingham, England - 26/9/15 South Africa line up during the national anthems Reuters / Rebecca Naden Livepic
South African rugby team

The third and final Test will take place in Port Elizabeth at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (June 25).

Roux is one of two uncapped players who have been included in head coach Joe Schmidt’s squad, with New Zealander Sean Reidy also cracking the nod.

Roux played lock for Western Province in 2011 and 2012, before signing for Leinster. He was loaned out to Connacht in 2014 and signed a permanent deal with the club last year.

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“Touring South Africa will be arduous to say the least so we’ve attempted to prioritise players who are currently as close to full fitness as possible. In what is always a difficult balancing act, we’ve taken a long term view with a number of players who need a rest or will benefit from a full pre-season,” Schmidt told the IRFU’s official website.

Players unavailable for selection include Cian Healy, Denis Buckley, Nathan White, Josh van der Flier, Peter O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien, Tommy Bowe, Andrew Conway and Simon Zebo.

Ireland squad:

Forwards

Finlay Bealham, Rory Best (captain), Sean Cronin, Ultan Dillane, Tadhg Furlong, Jamie Heaslip (vice-captain), Iain Henderson, David Kilcoyne, Jack McGrath, Jordi Murphy, Sean Reidy, Mike Ross, Quinn Roux, Rhys Ruddock, Donnacha Ryan, CJ Stander, Richardt Strauss, Devin Toner

Backs

Keith Earls, Luke Fitzgerald, Robbie Henshaw, Paddy Jackson, David Kearney, Rob Kearney, Kieran Marmion, Luke Marshall, Conor Murray, Stuart Olding, Jared Payne, Eoin Reddan, Jonathan Sexton, Andrew Trimble

Source: http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/sa-born-trio-named-in-ireland-squad-20160525

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