A muscle injury suffered at Leinster training yesterday has deprived Andy Farrell of winger James Lowe for the opening weeks of the Six Nations.
Lowe had returned to top form in Ireland's November series clean sweep and came off the bench for Leinster in their record-breaking Champions Cup victory over Montpellier last Sunday.
But, with Farrell having to do without the Kiwi and choosing not to select Simon Zebo, who has seen very little game time for Munster since October, there is room for the uncapped Michael Lowry (Ulster) and Mack Hansen (Connacht) among the backs selected in a 37-strong championship squad.
Hansen will return to the Connacht side this weekend for his Champions Cup debut, having ripped it up in the early part of the campaign in the URC. That form earned him a place in Farrell's November plans.
Lowry, meanwhile, has been in superb form of late for Ulster and also has previous experience of Ireland camp, having been a part of the Summer series squad last year.
Head coach Farrell has delivered a ringing endorsement to Joey Carbery by picking him among his three out-halves, despite the fact that Munster's no 10 is still rehabbing after undergoing elbow surgery.
It is hoped that Carbery can return in time for Ireland's third match of the campaign, against Italy on February 27, but he is unlikely to be available for the opener against Wales on February 5 and the away trip to France seven days later.
Farrell will hope that first-choice out-half Johnny Sexton will stay fit - the Test centurion will again skipper the squad - and he will be backed by Jack Carty, the Connacht playmaker who was brought back from two years of international exile last November.
Carty replaces Harry Byrne in the squad, with the Leinster out-half suffering from a lack of opportunity caused by club game postponements and a dip in form.
Ulster skipper Iain Henderson is another who gets the nod despite recent injury troubles - he has been out with an ankle injury - while in-form Connacht flanker Cian Prendergast is drafted in as a development player, although there is no room for his in-form provincial team-mate Conor Oliver.
And another Connacht man, Kieran Marmion, is unlucky to lose out in the contest for a scrum-half slot, with Craig Casey of Munster holding firm.
"In November we challenged the group to get up to speed quickly so that the team could perform at international level," said Farrell.
"The same will apply for this Six Nations campaign, we need to be at our best against Wales on the opening weekend.
"We have a strong squad with competition for places across the board, there is a nice blend of experienced internationals and guys who have had their first taste of this level in the past 12 months.
"The games in November gave us a good foundation to build on and areas where we know we will have to improve.
"It will be an exciting Championship with so many strong squads and impressive performances across the board during the autumn."
IRELAND Guinness Six Nations Squad 2022
Backs (17)
Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 33 caps
Robert Baloucoune (Ulster/Enniskillen) 2 caps
Joey Carbery (Munster/Clontarf) 27 caps
Jack Carty (Buccaneers/Connacht) 10 caps
Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon) 4 caps
Andrew Conway (Munster/Garryowen) 27 caps
Keith Earls (Munster/Young Munster) 96 caps
Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 12 caps
Mack Hansen (Connacht) uncapped
Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers) 53 caps
James Hume (Ulster/Banbridge) 1 cap
Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 16 caps
Jordan Larmour (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 30 caps
Michael Lowry (Ulster/Banbridge) uncapped
Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 92 caps
Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 37 caps
Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 101 caps CAPTAIN
Forwards (20)
Ryan Baird (Leinster/Dublin University) 6 caps
Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 18 caps
Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 25 caps
Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 22 caps
Gavin Coombes (Munster/Young Munster) 2 caps
Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 12 caps
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf) 52 caps
Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 112 caps
Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 65 caps
Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 23 caps
Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Lansdowne) 16 caps
Dave Kilcoyne (Munster/UL Bohemians) 45 caps
Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 79 caps
Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 2 caps
Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 40 caps
James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 40 caps
Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 2 caps
Nick Timoney (Ulster/Banbridge) 2 caps
Kieran Treadwell (Ulster/Ballymena) 3 caps
Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 35 caps
Development Player
Cian Prendergast (Connacht)
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