The IRFU have confirmed this evening that Ulster centre Stuart McCloskey will link up with the Ireland squad ahead of the 2020 Six Nations campaign.
The 27-year-old Bangor native was left out of head coach Andy Farrell's 35-man squad which was announced last Wednesday, raising some eyebrows considering the excellent form that he has shown with his province this season.
In a short statement released by the IRFU, Farrell praised McCloskey for his recent perfomances with Ulster.
"Stu has been playing well over the past few weeks and played well again at the weekend," said Farrell.
"Centre is a very competitive area in the squad and with a few backs picking up small niggles at the weekend Stu is the form back who will now be added to the group to give us some extra options."
McCloskey never seemed to float ex-head coach Joe Schmidt's boat and has only won three international caps to date.
The inside centre by trade found himself down the pecking order in Farrell's first squad as head coach with Connacht's Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw ahead of the man from the northern province.
McCloskey put in another solid performance at the weekend as Ulster beat Bath 22-15 to secure a Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final place for the second consecutive season.
The IRFU statement released this evening also reads;
"All players will be assessed by the Ireland Medical Team upon arrival into national camp on Tuesday 21st January. There are no significant injury concerns following the weekend's action European action."
However, Leinster revealed today that there is concern over Jordan Larmour's fitness less than a fortnight from the start of the 2020 Six Nations campaign.
The Eastern province have confirmed that the versatile back sustained a "low-grade foot injury" in Saturday's Heineken Champions Cup win over Benetton in Treviso.
Larmour will be assessed by the IRFU's medical team.
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