Ireland Rugby: Jamie Benson and James McNabney handed first call-ups

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.

Farrell said it was "always great" to give players their first international call-ups, and both Benson and McNabney were players had he followed for some time.

Before he had even played a match for Ulster, Benson had been training with Ireland over the summer, while McNabney, who Farrell described as "some specimen of a man", also has training camp experience.

"It was great to get to know him and see what he's all about," Farrell said on Benson.

"He started the season really well and in a few different positions for Ulster, and that shows his versatility."

With the World Cup now less than one year away, Farrell added he wants his side to "keep progressing" over the next 12 months.

Ireland have had a mixed 2026 as they won the Triple Crown but missed out on the Six Nations title to France.

They narrowly beat the Wallabies in their Nations Championship opener and while they had to much for Japan, New Zealand were too strong in the third game of the tour of the southern hemisphere.

Argentina will be a tough start to the autumn matches, before Fiji and especially South Africa will provide more stern opposition.

"It's always great to get back in front of your home supporters and we know that's going to be needed," Farrell said.

"The box office games, those are the type of games that we want to play in. We want to keep on testing ourselves."

Forwards: Ryan Baird, Tadhg Beirne, Billy Bohan, Thomas Clarkson, Tadhg Furlong, Sam Illo, Sean Jansen, Ronan Kelleher, Joe McCarthy, James McNabney, Darragh Murray, Tom O'Toole, Andrew Porter, Cian Prendergast, James Ryan, Dan Sheehan (captain), Tom Stewart, Nick Timoney, Josh van der Flier.

Backs: Bundee Aki, Rob Baloucoune, Jamie Benson, Craig Casey, Nathan Doak, Ciaran Frawley, Jamison Gibson-Park, Mack Hansen, Robbie Henshaw, Hugo Keenan, Stuart McCloskey, Jimmy O'Brien, Tommy O'Brien, Jamie Osborne, Sam Prendergast, Garry Ringrose, Jacob Stockdale.