There should be few gripes about the 37-man Ireland squad for the Six Nations. Injuries having restricted Andy Farrell’s hand, in a sense that was the easy bit. Taking on France in Paris next Thursday fortnight is the hard part.
The two eye-catching selections are the uncapped duo of the Munster lock Edwin Edogbo and Ulster scrumhalf Nathan Doak. There’s no doubting the vast potential of the 23-year-old Edogbo, who was included in the training squad in Chicago ahead of the All Blacks soon after returning from a near two-year absence through injury, before having to withdraw.
After Edogbo’s barnstorming two-try display off the bench in Munster’s loss to Castres last Saturday, Farrell has again wasted no time in making the secondrow a fully fledged senior squad member for the first time. Given the head coach’s proven judgment, ‘nuff said. It would be no surprise to see the first professional from Cobh Pirates make his debut in this championship.
Having broken into the Emerging Ireland and Ulster sides three seasons ago, there was the customary clamour for Doak to be elevated to full Ireland status there and then. But then his career stalled a tad, even in Ulster, before becoming a mainstay in the province’s rejuvenation under Richie Murphy. Hence, the 24-year-old displaces Caolin Blade, third choice scrumhalf in the November squad.
Similarly, after playing in the summer Tests against Georgia and Portugal, it was nigh on impossible to ignore the form of Tom Stewart. The dynamic, ball-carrying Ulster hooker has scored six tries in his 11 appearances this season (three of them off the bench) and replaces Gus McCarthy.
Ulster backrower Bryn Ward and Connacht secondrow Darragh Murray will also join the squad when they travel to Portugal for the Six Nations training camp before linking up with the Ireland XV squad which plays England A at Thomond Park the night after that Six Nations opener in Paris.
Harry Byrne makes a return to the Ireland squad for the first time since 2024. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
There will be the usual tiresome guff about not bringing in more young players and building for the World Cup, and it would have been particularly interesting to see Joshua Kenny included in the senior squad.
But Kenny, along with Sean Jansen, Brian Gleeson, Jude Postlethwaite and Zac Ward, as well as a trio of talented scrumhalves, are better served being in the Ireland XV squad which will play England in Limerick.
Instead, Robert Baloucoune has been reinstated and so too, predictably, Harry Byrne. Revitalised by last season’s loan to Bristol, the 26-year-old has brought calmness, game management and assured goalkicking to Leinster this season.
Farrell first brought Byrne into the Irish fold in July 2021 when he made his debut against the USA, and after adding a second cap against Japan the following November, injuries have curtailed him to two more appearances off the bench in the wins over Italy and Scotland in the 2024 Six Nations title success.
The decision likely to most vex supporters will be who starts at 10 in Paris and whether Farrell will recall Byrne for his first start since 2021 and first Test outside the Aviva in the cauldron of the Stade de France. Or whether he will continue to show faith in Sam Prendergast amid a distinct possibility that Jack Crowley will miss out on the 23-man squad altogether, although he does have more proven versatility.
The same is true of Ciarán Frawley, after a run of four games at fullback for Leinster in light of the injuries which have sidelined Hugo Keenan sine the Lions tour and Jamie Osborne since mid-October.
Tom Ahern’s athleticism and speed could earn him a place on the bench in Paris. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
Furthermore, of the nine players from the squads for last year’s Six Nations and the November series to be hors de combat for Paris and beyond, two more have played fullback for Ireland, namely Mack Hansen and Jimmy O’Brien.
Yet Keenan hopes to be fit for Paris after stepping up his training load with Leinster in the last fortnight. And if he proves his wellbeing amid the intensity of Ireland’s sessions in the Algarve, Farrell has previously shown his willingness to play players despite match rustiness.
The same would likely apply with James Lowe on the left wing and Tommy O’Brien’s inclusion suggests he has, or can, overcome the calf strain which forced him off in Leinster’s win over Bayonne last Saturday.
Judging by the November series, Stuart McCloskey looks to be the man in situ at inside centre to start inside Garry Ringrose.
Jack Boyle’s display in Bayonne has cemented his status as favourite to start at loosehead in the absence of Andrew Porter and Paddy McCarthy. Tadhg Beirne could well start at blindside in the absence of Ryan Baird, and with Cormac Izuchukwu also injured again, the only comparable replacement for Baird’s athleticism and speed over the ground is Tom Ahern.
Hence, mindful of the threat posed to the Irish lineout in the Stade de France by Charles Olivon and co, Farrell and Paul O’Connell will strongly consider at least having Ahern on the bench along with Jack Conan.
Among the other options is Cian Prendergast, as was the case last time out against Australia. Or, recalling the damage inflicted by France’s 7-1 bench in their 42-27 win at the Aviva last March, a 6-2 split is also plausible.
Ireland Six Nations squad
Forwards (20): Tom Ahern (Munster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Jack Boyle (Leinster), Thomas Clarkson (Leinster), Jack Conan (Leinster), Caelan Doris (Leinster, capt), Edwin Edogbo (Munster)*, Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Rónan Kelleher (Leinster), Jeremy Loughman (Munster), Joe McCarthy (Leinster), Michael Milne (Munster), Tom O’Toole (Ulster), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), James Ryan (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Tom Stewart (Ulster), Nick Timoney (Ulster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster).
Backs (17): Bundee Aki (Connacht), Robert Baloucoune (Ulster), Harry Byrne (Leinster), Craig Casey (Munster), Jack Crowley (Munster), Nathan Doak (Ulster)*, Tom Farrell (Munster), Ciarán Frawley (Leinster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster), Hugo Keenan (Leinster), James Lowe (Leinster), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), Tommy O’Brien (Leinster), Jamie Osborne (Leinster), Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Jacob Stockdale (Ulster).
*Denotes uncapped
Possible Ireland 23 v France in Paris on opening night: H Keenan; T O’Brien, G Ringrose, S McCloskey,J Lowe; S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park; J Boyle, D Sheehan, T Furlong; J McCarthy, J Ryan; T Beirne, J van der Flier, C Doris (capt).
Replacements: R Kelleher, M Milne, T Clarkson, T Ahern, J Conan, C Casey, H Byrne, B Aki.