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A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>REBUILD: Head coach Andy Farrell during an Ireland Rugby media conference at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile</p>

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Regeneration project means fans will have to endure 'a little bit of pain' says Farrell

If nothing else, Farrell’s selection highlights that no player is ever untouchable, with van der Flier the most prominent fall guy and the head coach insisting he is not rotating with a trip to face England at Twickenham to follow seven days later

<p>Head coach Andy Farrell during the media conference at the Aviva Stadium on Thursday. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile</p>

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How many cards has Andy Farrell left to play as Ireland head coach?

<p>STARTING BERTH: Ireland's Craig Casey. Pic: Ben Brady</p>

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Six Nations: Craig Casey starts as one of six Irish changes for Italian clash

Joe McCarthy 10/2/2026

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'It does eat away at you' - Joe McCarthy and Ireland eager to atone for Paris

Italy v Ireland - Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship

S rugby

Reasons to be fearful for Ireland: The Azzurri are whipping boys no more

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SDonal Lenihan: Italy come to Dublin with a whiff of upset in their nostrils

Ethan Roots and Bryn Ward 6/2/2026

Confident Bryn Ward ready to make another step up for Ireland if needed

Bryn Ward's rise has been rapid this season. It's just five months since he made his Ulster debut. He's now part of the Ireland Six Nations squad

Wed, 11 Feb, 2026

Ireland v Japan - Quilter Nations Series 2025

Ireland coach dismisses decline talk but wants more top-level exposure for young players

"I'd love players to get exposed more often," said Ireland scrum coach John Fogarty. "But it's difficult when you've got four teams."

Wed, 11 Feb, 2026

John Fogarty 10/2/2026

Ireland players must understand 'what 100 per cent looks like' to kickstart Six Nations campaign

Italy come to Dublin on Saturday as Andy Farrell's side bid to get up and running.

Tue, 10 Feb, 2026

Italy v Ireland - Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship

Ireland v Italy in the Six Nations: Kick-off time, TV details, team news and everything you need to know

Andy Farrell's side will be looking to bounce back from their loss to France in Paris on the opening night.

Tue, 10 Feb, 2026

Munster v Dragons - United Rugby Championship

Meet the first woman to take charge of a Six Nations match when Ireland face Italy

The 33-year-old Scot has overcome misogyny and abuse and is justifiably proud of becoming the first woman to take charge of a men’s Six Nations match.

Tue, 10 Feb, 2026

Italy v Scotland - Guinness Men's Six Nations - Stadio Olimpico

Six Nations on road to perdition unless chastening Celtic wake-up call is heeded

Championship risks becoming a two-tier affair as Ireland, Wales and Scotland all lose on the opening weekend.

Mon, 09 Feb, 2026

Michael Milne with friends and family after the match 5/2/2026

Bruised but not broken: Ireland look to reset after Paris punishment

After a heavy loss to France, Ireland regroup ahead of Italy as Michael Milne urges belief and a fast response

Mon, 09 Feb, 2026

Theo Attissogbe attempts to tackle Stuart McCloskey 5/2/2026

Andy Farrell: Ireland didn't lack composure, they lacked grunt

Thursday’s Guinness Six Nations 36-14 defeat to France was the latest setback for an Ireland squad that has fallen off the pace set by world rugby’s elite through a series of worrying results.

Sat, 07 Feb, 2026

Shane Daly and Ben Bamber 6/2/2026

England 'A' canter to Thomond Park victory over Ireland XV

Two Irish tries in reply did little to halt the English, in what was viewed as an opportunity for fringe players to stake a claim for frontline inclusion during the Six Nations.

Fri, 06 Feb, 2026

Munster v Barbarians - Representative Match

Ex-Munster man Jack Daly earns two-year deal with Western Force

Western Force head coach Simon Cron said Jack Daly has "earned a lot of respect from the players for his work ethic and approach to the game"

Fri, 06 Feb, 2026

Six Nations Podcast: Does French lesson in Paris mark the end of a golden era?

Six Nations Podcast: Does French lesson in Paris mark the end of a golden era?

Brendan O’Brien and Simon Lewis reflect on a long dark night for Ireland at the Stade de France after an opening Six Nations defeat to the hosts.

Listen | Fri, 06 Feb, 2026

Dan Kelly scores a try 30/1/2026

Dan Kelly: 'I'd almost forgotten what it was like to play with the shackles off'

It’s not that there isn’t structure to what Kelly has found on this side of the Irish Sea. There is. It just isn’t anything like the structure he experienced back at Tigers.

Fri, 06 Feb, 2026

France v Ireland - Guinness 6 Nations Rugby Championship

S Ronan O'Gara: Ramos on a different level as the misery rained down on Ireland in Paris

Ireland had a midfield penalty in the second period and Prendergast didn't get the distance his forwards desperately needed to get their teeth into. It could have been 29-21 and now Ireland could test their pulse.

Fri, 06 Feb, 2026

Ronan O'Gara speaks to the media after the match 18/1/2026

Ronan O'Gara facing increase in touchline ban after appeal

The La Rochelle head coach was initially given a fortnight's ban and a fine.

Thu, 05 Feb, 2026

Ireland Rugby Captain's Run

Andy Farrell urges Ireland to disrupt French dazzle

The head coach wants his players to lean into Antoine Dupont and his defending champions on Thursday night.

Thu, 05 Feb, 2026

Ireland Rugby Captain's Run

Doris and Ireland eager to deliver performance to inspire the nation

The 2026 Guinness Six Nations gets underway on French soil with Ireland unfancied underdogs to defeat the defending champions who ended their reign as back-to-back titleholders.

Thu, 05 Feb, 2026

Munster v Dragons - United Rugby Championship

Six capped players start for Ireland XV against England A

Leinster backrow Max Deegan will captain the team

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

Ireland Rugby Squad Training

Ronan O'Gara: Ireland's 10 conversation has turned nasty

The legendary out-half fears the suffocating fear of Sam Prendergast, Jack Crowley or even Harry Byrne fouling up an opportunity in green is doing neither them or Irish rugby any good.

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

Andy Farrell 3/2/2026

'Hopefully this experience will stand to us' - Andy Farrell relishing new-look Ireland's challenge in France

The Ireland boss saw no point in sugar-coating the situation as he announced his team in the French capital on Tuesday.

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

A view of the Men’s Six Nations Championship Trophy 26/1/2026

S Six Nations 2026: team-by-team guide to the tournament

Ireland and France will get the campaign under way in Paris on Thursday night.

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

A view of the Men’s Six Nations Championship Trophy 26/1/2026

Underdogs and overhyped: The big questions ahead of Six Nations kick-off

Thursday night is this French squad’s date with destiny. The French public have had an underwhelming experience since the trauma of the World Cup, last year’s title notwithstanding.

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

Colm Tucker arrives ahead of the match 31/1/2026

Tucker calls on Ireland XV charges to embrace England 'A' challenges

Cullie Tucker’s squad will have just two pitch sessions behind them come kick-off.

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

Jeremy Loughman 29/1/2025

'Impressive' Loughman has 'all the attributes' to succeed at Test level, insists Farrell

The loss of three looseheads in advance of the 2026 Guinness Six Nations would give concern to any Test side but the task has fallen to the 30-year-old, whose most recent of five caps came off the bench against Italy two years ago.

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

Ireland Team Assembly Day

Six Nations: No Lowe or Furlong for Ireland but revitalised Stockdale 'buzzing' for Paris

Jeremy Loughman and Cian Prendergast also get the nod as Les Bleus welcome Ireland to the Stade de France on Thursday (8.10)

Tue, 03 Feb, 2026

Six Nations 2026 package

France v Ireland in the Six Nations: Kick-off time, TV details, team news and everything you need to know

Andy Farrell's side will hope to start as they mean to go on in Paris on Thursday night.

Mon, 02 Feb, 2026

Joe McCarthy and Francois Cros in a line out 8/3/2025

Ireland 'in for long night' if they fail to disrupt French set-piece, says Philippe Saint-André

The former Sale, Toulon and France head coach compared Farrell’s current squad unfavourably to the team which won in Marseille in 2024 but the former French captain also outlined the potential unpredictability of the 2026 Six Nations campaign

Mon, 02 Feb, 2026

Michael Milne 1/2/2026

Munster duo Loughman and Milne going head-to-head for loosehead berth

Milne, who is set to turn 27 on matchday this week, made his Test debut last summer against Georgia, earning his second cap the following week in Portugal having joined Munster from Leinster, initially on loan, last April.

Mon, 02 Feb, 2026

Simon Easterby 1/2/2026

Easterby 'excited' by challenge of facing Dupont under Paris lights

Ireland take on Les Bleus in the tournament opener on Thursday evening.

Mon, 02 Feb, 2026

Ireland Rugby Squad Training and Media Conference

Jack Conan: Ireland must lean on learnings from previous visits to France

From the stage fright under the lights at Stade de France in 2022 to the perfect riposte in Marseille two years later, Conan and Ireland have shown they can not only learn from their mistakes but implement those lessons to good effect.

Sun, 01 Feb, 2026

Ireland Rugby Squad Training and Media Conference

Michael Milne: Gym sessions? 'You're remembered for the games you play'

Munster's new prop Michal Milne knew he had to shake himself out of a rut at Leinster to make the most of his time in the pro game. Now he's prepping for a huge Six Nations opener in Paris.

Sat, 31 Jan, 2026

Andrew Goodman 28/1/2025

Ireland can kick on with evolving gameplan, insists 'frustrated' Goodman

Andy Farrell's side are preparing to take on France in Paris on Thursday.

Fri, 30 Jan, 2026

Sami Bishti 20/1/2026

Ireland U20s captain Sami Bishti inspired by Tadhg Furlong and Thomas Clarkson

Given he was the skipper when Blackrock won the Leinster Schools Senior Cup , it appears to be a solid choice on behalf of head coach Andrew Browne to select Bishti as Irish captain for the forthcoming U20s Six Nations Championship.

Thu, 29 Jan, 2026

Ireland Rugby Squad Training

S Aki and Keenan twin shocks may test even Andy Farrell's powers of positive thinking

Farrell placed improving discipline at the top of his list of improvements and also addressed the penalty Aki conceded for dissent at the Dexcom last Saturday, agreeing work still needed to be done with the squad on staying mentally focused

Wed, 28 Jan, 2026

Caelan Doris and Andy Farrell 26/1/2026

S Donal Lenihan: Six Nations injuries force Andy Farrell to rethink Ireland’s depth and loyalty

Injuries, emerging talent and selection risk collide as Ireland, France and England shape a defining Six Nations championship.

Wed, 28 Jan, 2026

Munster v Castres Olympique - Investec Champions Cup

Ireland in a hurry to get Edwin Edogbo up to speed

The Ireland squad begin their preparations in earnest in Portugal this week for their opening game of the championship against defending champions France in Paris on Thursday week.

Wed, 28 Jan, 2026

Will Connors 26/1/2026

Connacht confirm signing of Will Connors from Leinster, Loughman extends Munster stay

Munster prop Jeremy Loughman has signed a new contract that will keep him at the province until 2028.

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Ireland v France - Guinness Men's Six Nations - Aviva Stadium

'It was just an accident' - No bad blood from Antoine Dupont towards Ireland duo following injury

The Toulouse star and former World Rugby men’s player of the year ruptured cruciate ligaments after being cleaned out of a ruck by the Irish forward duo in last season’s championship meeting in Dublin.

Mon, 26 Jan, 2026

Guinness Men's Six Nations Launch Event - Edinburgh

Fabien Galthie not interested in Irish injury woes

The France head coach has issues of his own, at tighthead for one.

Mon, 26 Jan, 2026

Jack Boyle leaves the field on a motorised stretcher due to an injury 24/1/2026

Prop crisis shows how shallow the Irish depth chart really is

When Jack Boyle went down 20 minutes into the game in Galway, throats ran dry, all the more so when he had to be stretchered off the field.

Mon, 26 Jan, 2026

Billy Bohan arrives 24/1/2026

Andy Farrell calls on Billy Bohan to ease Ireland prop crisis

The 20-year old Connacht prop Billy Bohan has been added to the Six Nations squad

Sun, 25 Jan, 2026

Connacht v Leinster - United Rugby Championship

Jack Boyle injury leaves Andy Farrell's Ireland facing Six Nations prop crisis

Boyle was Ireland's most likely start at loosehead for the Six Nations clash with France on February 5

Sat, 24 Jan, 2026

RUGBYU-EUR-CUP-LA ROCHELLE-HARLEQUINS

S Ronan O'Gara: Punched in the nose, left sitting on our backsides

Champions Cup exits, leadership questions and fine margins leave La Rochelle and Munster facing uncomfortable truths and a long road back

Fri, 23 Jan, 2026

Ireland v Australia - Quilter Nations Series 2025

Prendergast at 10, Edogbo on the bench and a 6/2 split: what Ireland might look like in Paris

Changes are inevitable from the side stuffed by the Springboks last time out

Fri, 23 Jan, 2026

Dan Sheehan 21/1/2025

Dan Sheehan: We're underdogs now but no end to Irish talent

Dan Sheehan, already a world-class hooker, is developing into the most impressive public voice in the Irish dressing room.

Thu, 22 Jan, 2026