Ian Whitten is currently a member of the Ulster Academy

Ulster centre Ian Whitten has been added to the Ireland squad for the summer tour to Canada and the USA.

The 21-year-old occupies the final place in the panel which was left vacant when the squad was announced.

The inclusion of Whitten brings the total number of uncapped players in the 25-man squad to 13 and the Ulster representation to eight.

Paddy Wallace misses the tour on medical advice while hooker Rory Best will captain the side.

Wallace has been advised to rest as a precaution after sustaining several head injuries this season.

The squad is missing the 13 Irish players who are on Lions duty and Leinster's Heineken Cup finalists.

Several Ulster players are included in the squad, Best being joined by fellow forwards Bryan Young, Chris Henry, Tom Court and Ryan Caldwell.

Backs Darren Cave, Whitten and Niall O'Connor are also in the panel.

Leinster face Leicester in the European final on 23 May, the same day that Ireland play Canada in Vancouver in the first of two Tests.

Ireland's second match is against the USA on Sunday 31 May.

A total of 13 uncapped players are making the trip.

Ian Humphreys is not included as O'Connor and Ian Keatley travel as fly-halves.

Meanwhile, John Muldoon will captain the 27-man Ireland A Churchill Cup squad which includes some players who are also part of the senior tour panel and Leinster players who are available after the European final.

Five Ulster players are named in that tour party, with Henry, Young and O'Connor in both squads.

Isaac Boss and Ed O'Donoghue are the other Ulster players involved in Churchill Cup action.

Exiled Ulstermen include former Ireland flanker Neil Best from Northampton Saints and Exeter's Belfast-born tight-head prop John Andress.

Ireland A will face Canada on Wednesday 10 June and Georgia on Sunday 14 June, with the finals on Sunday 21 June.

Ireland squad for tour to Canada and USA:

Rory Best (Ulster, captain); Tony Buckley (Munster), Ryan Caldwell (Ulster), Bob Casey (London Irish), Darren Cave (Ulster), Tom Court (Ulster), Sean Cronin (Connacht), Ian Dowling (Munster), Gavin Duffy (Connacht), Chris Henry (Ulster), Denis Hurley (Munster), Ian Keatley (Connacht), Denis Leamy (Munster), Keith Matthews (Connacht), John Muldoon (Connacht), Barry Murphy (Munster), Niall O'Connor (Ulster), Mick O'Driscoll (Munster), Eoin Reddan (Wasps), Niall Ronan (Munster), Mike Ross (Harlequins), Donnacha Ryan (Munster), Peter Stringer (Munster), Ian Whitten (Ulster), Bryan Young (Ulster).

Ireland squad for Churchill Cup:

John Muldoon (Connacht, captain); John Andress (Exeter Chiefs), Neil Best (Northampton Saints), Isaac Boss (Ulster), Tony Buckley (Munster), Fionn Carr (Connacht), Sean Cronin (Connacht), James Downey (Northampton Saints), Denis Fogarty (Munster), Cian Healy (Leinster), Chris Henry (Ulster), Trevor Hogan (Leinster), Denis Hurley (Munster), Felix Jones (Leinster), Simon Keogh (Leinster), Keith Matthews (Connacht), Fergus McFadden (Leinster), Frank Murphy (Connacht), Johne Murphy (Leicester Tigers), Sean O'Brien (Leinster), Niall O'Connor (Ulster), Ed O'Donoghue (Ulster), Niall Ronan (Munster), Donnacha Ryan (Munster), Jonathan Sexton (Leinster), Devon Toner (Leinster), Bryan Young (Ulster).

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