Bernard Jackman believes Munster's Gavin Coombes is one of the fringe players who deserves a shot in the Ireland team in Saturday's opening Bank of Ireland Nations Series game against Italy at the Aviva Stadium.
The No 8 has been a regular presence in Ireland squads in recent years, but after winning his first two caps in July 2021, he's had to wait two years to add to that haul.
The 25-year-old did feature for a non-Test Ireland XV in their tour games last summer against the Maori All Blacks in New Zealand, while he also represented Ireland A against an All Blacks XV in November, a game in which he endured a difficult night in a 47-19 defeat.
Having been released from the Ireland squad early last November, Coombes earned rave reviews for his form through December and January, which earned him an Ireland recall for the Six Nations.
And after scoring 14 tries in 21 games for URC champions Munster last season, Jackman says he's one of a number of fringe players who deserves a chance to impress against Italy on Saturday.
"I thought Gavin Coombes' end of season was phenomenal," Jackman told the RTÉ Rugby podcast.
"The way he reacted to the setback [when] the team struggled that night in November against New Zealand A, but his work rate, his impact on both sides of the ball was phenomenal."
While Coombes (above) has climbed ahead of Nick Timoney in the Irish back row depth chart, the consistent selections of Peter O'Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris and Jack Conan, as well as they versatility of several Irish second rows leaves the Corkman needing to make a big impression if he's to make the final 33-man squad.
"Is it going to be too late to make a push? That Irish back row has been pretty settled and you have Tadhg Beirne who can come into the picture in either the second or back row, so it is going to be hard.
"I would say some of the fringe guys, this is an opportunity for them to get some game time," Jackman added.
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell will name his team on Thursday for the opening warm-up game, with some of the more inexperienced players in the group likely to be given their chance to impress ahead of the meeting with England later this month.
And Jackman believes that with their tougher Pool B games at the World Cup coming against South Africa and Scotland falling later in the schedule, they will be able to use their opener against Romania on 9 September as an unofficial fourth warm-up match.
"They will have a plan for every individual. Peter O'Mahony, Tadhg Furlong, do they need a game this early? Probably not, but what are they going to do to have them ready for that first week in France?
"Romania, is that game part of their personal preparation to be ready for Scotland and South Africa? We have to be respectful, but we also have to realise that the days of World Cup shocks to that extent [are gone], we shouldn’t be considering that.
"I think they'll be in a good place, and if you look at our squad, I think Farrell has done a great job of building depth, but also getting players very comfortable.
"Look at someone like Cian Prendergast, he’s been in and around the Irish squad for two years without building up a huge amount of caps. He knows what it is like in there, and he’s just an example.
"You have the fellas who have 20 or 30 capos and have been part of it for the last four years, and that cohesion that people say is a core part of Leinster being very hard to beat is a big strength of Irish rugby."
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