Former England centre gets Ireland call-up ahead of the Autumn Internationals

The 23-year-old, who was born in Manchester but qualifies for Ireland through his grandfather, made a big impression coming through the Irish system before crossing the Irish Sea. A product of St. Michael’s College in Dublin and the Ireland U20s setup, Kelly later moved to England to join Leicester Tigers, where he developed into one of the Gallagher Premiership’s standout midfielders.

Kelly earned his sole England cap in 2021 under Eddie Jones, coming off the bench against Canada at Twickenham. Following a three-year international stand-down, he has now switched allegiance back to Ireland, in line with World Rugby’s eligibility rules.

Since returning to Ireland with Munster ahead of the 2024/25 season, Kelly has been in outstanding form — particularly catching the eye in last weekend’s URC win over Leinster at Croke Park. His physicality in defence and sharp distribution have quickly made him a key figure in Graham Rowntree’s side.

Kelly is joined in the Ireland XV by nine players with full international experience, as the extended squad looks to build depth and momentum ahead of the 2025 Six Nations.