Ireland: Ulster's Kieran Treadwell among five released from World Cup squad
Written by I Dig SportsUlster's Kieran Treadwell is among five players who have been released from Ireland's World Cup squad.
Treadwell, who won the last of his 11 caps against England in March, drops out alongside Caolin Blade, Gavin Coombes, Calvin Nash and Jamie Osborne.
With Munster prop Jeremy Loughman having been drafted in this week, the squad now has 38 players.
The final 33-man squad will be announced by Andy Farrell on 28 August.
Ireland continue their World Cup preparations with a warm-up game against England at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday and Farrell will announce his squad for that match on Thursday afternoon.
Blade and Nash featured as replacements in the warm-up win over Italy on 5 August when Treadwell, Coombes and Osborne were not in the match day squad.
Treadwell's release appears to increase Leinster lock Joe McCarthy's chances of being named in Farrell's final squad.
Ulster duo Jacob Stockdale and Tom Stewart also remain part of the squad.