Once more unto the breach, and in the first Six Nations campaign without Andy Farrell there was even less cause for ripping things up and starting again. A strong core of the 36-man squad announced by Simon Easterby for Ireland’s attempt at a historic three titles in succession have been an integral part of the last two and will be reunited again for next week’s pre-tournament camp in the Algarve.
The Six Nations has always been a stand-alone tournament in the eyes of the IRFU and its employees. Hence regardless of World Cup cycles, before the halfway point at any rate, this is a proper tilt at making history in what could be a last dance for Peter O’Mahony, who captained Ireland in last year’s Six Nations, and Conor Murray.
Despite the steady hands at the tiller, all squads go through regular regeneration and evolution. In such an attritional sport, injuries, as well as form, tend to take care of that.
Nine of the 34-man Irish squad initially picked for last season’s Six Nations are not included, meaning 25 are back again, and injuries at least partially account for seven of those absentees a year on. The exceptions are the talented Harry Byrne, who has fallen down the pecking order and is reviving his career at Bristol, while Nick Timoney is one of the biggest hard luck stories.
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Some of the 11 players who feature in this squad and were not there at this point last year have been blooded in the intervening period and would have probably made the breakthrough in any case.
An obvious case in point is Sam Prendergast, who was already an apple of Farrell’s eye at that point and has since been on a second Emerging Ireland tour as well as starting the November wins over Fiji and Australia.
As the man technically in situ, the 21-year-old looks favourite to start in Ireland’s opening game at home to England, but in any event it would be good to see both him and Jack Crowley start games in the 2025 Six Nations. Investing in both players and furthering the competition between them can only be beneficial in the long-term.
Gus McCarthy also emerged a little more unexpectedly in the November window, primarily due to Dan Sheehan’s continuing recuperation from the ACL injury he suffered in the first Test against South Africa in Pretoria. But now that Sheehan is back training with Leinster it makes sense to have him fully reintegrated next week, whether or not he returns for Leinster’s Champions Cup pool finale against Bath at the Aviva Stadium next Saturday (kick-off 5.15pm). Equally so, given Sheehan’s lack of rugby, it also makes just as much sense to have four specialist hookers in the squad.
With Tom O’Toole and Oli Jager sidelined through injury, Jack Boyle, an additional training player last November, and Thomas Clarkson, originally included in the same capacity before playing against Argentina and Fiji, are full members of the frontrow contingent now.
Cormac Izuchukwu is another retained after becoming the first Offaly-born men’s Irish international last November, while Jack Conan returns after missing both South Africa and November through injury.
With Craig Casey the most notable absentee due to the knee injury he sustained in Munster’s Champions Cup defeat in Castres before Christmas, the case for retaining Murray was always strong in any case.
One of the biggest decisions regarding this squad was who to pick alongside Jamison Gibson-Park and Murray. Caolin Blade, by dint of being in the original squad for the tour to South Africa last summer in the absence of Gibson-Park and helping to steer Ireland to their second Test win, was theoretically the man in situ.
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Nathan Doak was next in the pecking order, having been called out as a late replacement when Casey suffered a head knock in the first Test, and has become Ulster’s first-choice scrumhalf this season.
Similarly, the newly arrived Ben Murphy has supplanted Blade in making eight starts for Connacht this season, ahead of Blade’s three, and also scoring seven tries to Blade’s two. But, ultimately, Blade’s credit in the bank counted and that seems fair enough.
Murphy is one of four development players named, along with Connacht team-mate Cathal Forde, Ulster backrow James McNabney and Leinster centre Hugh Cooney
On foot of Hugo Keenan’s segue into the Olympic Sevens, Jamie Osborne took many by surprise with the manner of his introduction to Test rugby as a fullback in both Tests against the Springboks. Having won another three caps in November, including a third start at fullback, he is pushing hard for inclusion in matchday squads at either 15 or 23.
With Jordan Larmour and Jacob Stockdale also sidelined, this is offset by the return of Jimmy O’Brien and Mack Hansen, who missed last season’s Six Nations with a shoulder injury.
What makes this natural regeneration and inclusion of younger players all the more effective is that they come into a settled, winning environment, and the most telling aspect of Ireland’s forthcoming title defence is that they remain true to themselves and back the skills and ambition which helped win them the last two championships.
Tougher selection choices, one ventures, await for Easterby and Co, particularly ahead of the opening at home to England on Saturday week, notably at hooker, in the configuration of the back five in the pack, and also at outhalf, inside centre and fullback.
This coming weekend could yet influence some of those calls, especially if Sheehan and Keenan start for Leinster in their Champions Cup pool finale against Bath at the Aviva Stadium, and ditto O’Mahony in Munster’s crunch game away to Northampton.
But the more choices Easterby is given the better.
Two feelgood stories
Jack Boyle
Allowing for the quartet of development players, the Leinster prop is the only uncapped player named in the actual squad, having been in the former category during Ireland’s Autumn Nations Series campaign last November. Reputedly one of the strongest men in Irish rugby, as one of only three looseheads in the squad along with Andrew Porter and Cian Healy, a first cap seems highly plausible.
Caolin Blade
The perseverance of the 30-year-old ‘Bladerunner’ from Monivea was rewarded on last summer’s tour, with one of his finest days coming when he was brought on for the second Test in Durban. He helped to steer Ireland to a famous win, providing the passes for Ciarán Frawley’s drop goals. With Craig Casey sidelined again, that has helped him regain his place.
Two hard-luck stories
Nick Timoney
The Ulster openside has been a regular in Irish squads, as in last year’s Six Nations, the summer tour and the Autumn Nations Series. But the 29-year-old won the last of this three caps against Fiji in November 2022 and with the return of Jack Conan, he misses out despite being the most obvious alternative openside to Josh van der Flier.
Nathan Doak
With his goal-kicking an additional point of reference to his self-confidence, Doak was quickly touted to break into the Irish squad for the last World Cup when he first burst on to the scene. Called up to the Irish squad as cover for the second Test in Durban and despite Casey again being sidelined, Doak misses out again, with Ben Murphy even called in as a development player.
IRELAND’S SIX NATIONS SQUAD
*denotes uncapped player
Forwards (21): Ryan Baird (Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Jack Boyle (Leinster)*, Thomas Clarkson (Leinster), Jack Conan (Leinster), Caelan Doris (Leinster, capt), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Cian Healy (Leinster), Iain Henderson (Ulster), Rob Herring (Ulster), Cormac Izuchukwu (Ulster), Rónan Kelleher (Leinster), Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Joe McCarthy (Leinster), Peter O’Mahony (Munster), Andrew Porter (Leinster), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), James Ryan (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster).
Backs (15): Bundee Aki (Connacht), Caolin Blade (Connacht), Jack Crowley (Munster), Ciarán Frawley (Leinster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster), Mack Hansen (Connacht), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), Hugo Keenan (Leinster), James Lowe (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster), Calvin Nash (Munster), Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster), Jamie Osborne (Leinster), Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster).
Development players (4): Hugh Cooney (Leinster)*, Cathal Forde (Connacht)*, James McNabney (Ulster)*, Ben Murphy (Connacht)*.
