Rory Best has won 31 caps for Ireland

Ulster hooker Rory Best has been named in Ireland's extended 44-man squad for the RBS Six Nations Championship.

Best has not played this season because of a serious neck injury but has resumed contact training after making good progress in his rehabilitation.

Prop Marcus Horan also returns to the panel after his lengthy injury lay-off.

The squad contains nine uncapped players, with the Ulster pair of lock Dan Tuohy and prop Declan Fitzpatrick the newest members to the squad.

The other uncapped men are the Leinster quartet of centre Fergus McFadden, flanker Kevin McLaughlin, lock Devin Toner and hooker John Fogarty, Leicester wing Johne Murphy, Connacht prop Brett Wilkinson and Ulster number eight Chris Henry.

Leinster flanker Shane Jennings is named in the squad after his return to playing.

Best was not expected to return to action until after the Six Nations series but may now make a comeback sooner than anticipated.

Munster prop Horan returns, having missed out on the autumn internationals after undergoing a routine medical procedure for a minor heart ailment.

The loose-head has not played for his province since the Heineken Cup win over Treviso in October but played 80 minutes for Shannon in their All-Ireland League match against Dolphin on Saturday.

Ireland are without the injured duo of wing Luke Fitzgerald, who ruptured knee ligaments in November, and back-row Denis Leamy, who is out for the rest of the season with a serious knee injury.

The aim is to increase the competitiveness that we need for the Italy game Declan Kidney

Ireland begin their campaign with a home game against Italy at Croke Park on Saturday 6 February.

Ireland A will play two international games in quick succession, against England Saxons on 31 January and Scotland A at Ravenhill on 5 February.

Irish coach Declan Kidney said his main consideration was "the opening game against Italy, followed by the A games and further down the line the Rugby World Cup".

"Building a squad has always been a priority for us and the work done during the first half of the season means there is a little more experience accumulated in the squad than we had a couple of months ago.

"While there were new players who gained vital experience during the autumn series, the goal is to keep that experience ticking over with all the players who need international level game time.

"The aim is to increase the competitiveness that we need for the Italy game.

"The provinces have all been in good form, making selection even more difficult, but we will need that for the big challenges that are ahead for the group over the next couple of weeks.

"The focus is very much on our game against Italy in a fortnight's time and we are preparing for that first challenge," said Kidney.

Ireland squad: Rory Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Isaac Boss (Ballymena/Ulster), Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster), Tom Court (Malone/Ulster), Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht), Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster), Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster), Ian Dowling (Shannon/Munster), Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster), Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster), Declan Fitzpatrick (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster), John Fogarty (De La Salle Palmerston/Leinster), John Hayes (Bruff/Munster), Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster), Chris Henry (Ballymena/Ulster), Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster), Shane Horgan (Boyne/Leinster), Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster), Shane Jennings (St.Mary's College/Leinster), Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster), Fergus McFadden (UCD/Leinster), Kevin McLaughlin (UCD/Leinster), Johne Murphy (Leicester), Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster), Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster), Mick O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster) , Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster), Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster), Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster), Sean O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster), Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster), Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster), Jonathan Sexton (St Mary's College/Leinster), Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster), Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster), Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster), Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster), David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster), Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster), Brett Wilkinson (Galwegians/Connacht).

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