'One guy who might feel aggrieved is Jack Carty'
Jack Carty is entitled to feel aggrieved at being omitted from Ireland's squad for the Six Nations championship.
That's the view of former Munster player Jonny Holland, now a rugby analyst with RTÉ.
Holland believes Connacht out-half Carty and Ulster scrum-half John Cooney are the two stand-out players who didn't make the squad.
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell named his squad earlier this week, with Billy Burns and Ross Byrne chosen as back-up to first choice out-half Johnny Sexton, meaning there was no place for Carty.
On the first weekend of January, Carty produced an outstanding performance as Connacht inflicted Leinster's first domestic defeat of the season at the RDS Arena (35-24).
Carty scored two tries, also kicking three penalties and three conversions for a record-equalling total of 25 points. He was duly named as man of the match after the Guinness PRO14 encounter.
Some observers felt that phenomenal display would could lead to a Six Nations place for Carty, but the Athlone man will have to bide his time.
"One guy who might feel aggrieved is Jack Carty. Because - not to criticise the guy - I don't know how much Ross Byrne has come on since he's arrived on the scene," Holland told RTÉ Sport.
"He (Byrne) might have been playing better before, although he did have a positive impact on the game the last day (Munster).
"But I don't think Jack Carty will be too happy with this selection. Carty and (John) Cooney could toss it up between themselves as to who should be the most aggrieved. I don't know if anyone else should be."
The uncapped Craig Casey was selected as one of three scrum-halves alongside Conor Murray and Jamison Gibson-Park. Limerick native Casey (21) got the nod ahead of John Cooney and Luke McGrath.
"It's funny that the public opinion is that we don't develop young fellas and then we develop a young fella and want John Cooney back in. In saying that, I feel for John Cooney not getting in and we saw how well Luke McGrath played at the weekend," said Holland.
The full Ireland squad and Ireland's 2021 Six Nations fixtures can be seen by clicking HERE