Ireland coach Joe Schmidt has named 17 players with no Rugby World Cup experience in his 31-man squad for this month’s tournament.

The squad will be led by Paul O’Connell and still boasts a total of 1043 caps, even without veteran outside back Andrew Trimble, who was left out of the squad.

“The players have worked incredibly hard over the past two months. Sunday was a difficult and very long day for the coaching team and an anxious one for many players,” Schmidt said.

“There were some very tight decisions, particularly in the back three and it was also a challenge to make sure that key positions were covered as much as a squad of 31 players allows.”

The coach said he will keep a number of players from outside the squad on standby throughout the tournament.

“A number of players were very unlucky to miss selection. We know from observing past World Cups that it’s important for us to keep track of their performances because some of them are likely to be involved in the tournament.”

Ireland have drawn alongside Six Nations rivals France and Italy in Pool D, and will also face Canada and Romania in the opening stage.

Ireland Rugby World Cup 2015 Squad

(Name/Club/Province/Caps)

Forwards (17)

Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) 84
Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 45
Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 1
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 51
Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) 74
Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 19
Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster) 18
Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 19
Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster) 12
Sean O’Brien (UCD/Leinster) 36
Paul O’Connell (Young Munster) 103 captain
Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 31
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster) 51
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster) 30
Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster) 9
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 26
Nathan White (Connacht) 2

Backs (14)

Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) 62
Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) 9
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 41
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster) 30
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht) 11
Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster) 12
David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster) 9
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 63
Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster) 20
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 36
Jared Payne (Ulster) 7
Eoin Reddan (Old Crescent/Leinster) 63
Jonathan Sexton (St Mary’s College/Leinster) 52
Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster) 17