Published Wednesday, 18 January 2012
The Irish squads were announced on Wednesday for both the RBS 6 Nations Championship and upcoming O2 Ireland Wolfhounds game against the England Saxons.
Unsurprisingly, Ulster's Andrew Trimble, Stephen Ferris, Tom Court, Paddy Wallace and Rory Best are named in the senior squad, while Chris Henry and Dan Touhy have been selected for the Wolfhounds.
"I thought Chris and Dan could have earned a place on the senior panel because they have been outstanding but there are others who haven't even got a look in like Paul Marshall and Craig Gilroy.
"It's very disappointing for them especially after the superb rugby they have been playing but they will do their talking on the pitch and hopefully against Clermont on Saturday," McLaughlin told UTV.
There are 24 players named in the Ireland senior squad, with six additional up and coming players named who will join the first week of Ireland camp in Limerick to train with the squad. Ulster's Paddy McAllister will be one of the six.
The Ireland squad, from which the team to play Wales will be selected, will be announced on Monday 30th January after the Wolfhounds game against the England Saxons.
Ireland Coach Declan Kidney said: "There have been some strong performances by players with the Provinces going really well. It always gives the squad a good boost when we have teams with players playing well in Europe before we step back up into the international scene.
"The Wolfhounds game gives myself and the other coaches one final chance to give games to players to see possible options before we settle on our match day 22 for the opening game.
"It also gives us the opportunity to have a closer look in training at some of the younger players, rather than bringing in more experienced players, who are very much still in the frame for selection."
Talking about the start of the RBS 6 Nations Championship, Kidney said, "It's a new tournament for us and for everybody involved, so irrespective of the highs and lows of the World Cup, it is a fresh and exciting challenge for us.
"The tournament begins what is big year for us, with a three test tour to New Zealand to come in June and ranking points all important for the Rugby World Cup in 2015, but the Six Nations always stands out as high point."
Ireland Squad (24):
Rory Best (Banbridge - Ulster)
Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
Tom Court (Malone - Ulster)
Sean Cronin (St.Mary's College - Leinster)
Leo Cullen (Blackrock College - Leinster)
Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne - Leinster)
Keith Earls (Young Munster - Munster)
Stephen Ferris (Dungannon - Ulster)
Cian Healy (Clontarf - Leinster)
Jamie Heaslip (Naas - Leinster)
Shane Jennings (St.Mary's College - Leinster)
Rob Kearney (UCD - Leinster)
Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere - Leinster)
Conor Murray (Garryowen - Munster)
Sean O'Brien (Clontarf - Leinster)
Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution - Munster)
Paul O'Connell (Young Munster - Munster)
Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution - Munster)
Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne - Leinster)
Mike Ross (Clontarf - Leinster)
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon - Munster)
Jonathan Sexton (St.Mary's College - Leinster)
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena - Ulster)
Paddy Wallace (Ballymena - Ulster)
Additional players (6):
Ian Nagle (Cork Constitution - Munster)
Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution - Munster)
Tiernan O'Halloran (Galwegians - Connacht)
Paddy McAllister (Ballynahinch - Ulster)
Andrew Conway (Blackrock College - Leinster)
Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution - Munster)
O2 Ireland Wolfhounds (22):
Stephen Archer (Cork Constitution - Munster)
Isaac Boss (Terenure College - Leinster)
Gavin Duffy (Galwegians - Connacht)
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College - Leinster)
Chris Henry (Belfast Harlequins - Ulster)
Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution - Munster)
David Kearney (Lansdowne - Leinster)
Ian Keatley (Young Munster - Munster)
Ronan Loughney (Buccaneers - Connacht)
Ian Madigan (Blackrock College - Leinster)
Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers - Connacht)
Kevin McLaughlin (St.Mary's College - Leinster)
John Muldoon (Galwegians - Connacht)
Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin - Munster)
Eoin O'Malley (Old Belvedere - Leinster)
Rhys Ruddock (St.Mary's College - Leinster)
Mike Sherry (Garryowen - Munster)
Nevin Spence (Ballynahinch - Ulster)
Devin Toner (Lansdowne - Leinster)
Dan Touhy (Ballymena - Ulster)
Damien Varley (Garryowen - Munster)
Brett Wilkinson (Galwegians - Connacht)
Not considered due to injury:
Brian O'Driscoll, David Wallace, Darren Cave, Felix Jones, Jerry Flannery, Eoin Griffen, Denis Leamy, Niall Ronan.