The big winners and losers from Andy Farrell's Six Nations squad 

Munster wing Calvin Nash plays like an archetypal Farrell wing

Calvin Nash during a Munster Rugby Squad Gym Session at  UL, Limerick 16/1/2024

Winners 

Calvin Nash – cut from the World Cup training squad after earning a Test debut against Italy last August, the Munster wing has started the season in blistering form for his province. Nash plays like an archetypal Andy Farrell wing, eager to come off his touchline and hungry for work. He also has a killer instinct for an opportunity as his try against Toulon last Saturday showed.

Oli Jager – as one of three “training panellists” alongside Tom Ahern and Sam Prendergast travelling to Portugal next Wednesday for a pre-tournament warm-weather training camp, Munster’s tighthead has clearly made an impact following a November move from Super Rugby’s Crusaders. Irish-educated and qualified, Jager has played just four times for Munster but at 6ft 4in and almost 20 stones, the former Leinster schoolboy offers a different profile to the current Irish front row.

Losers 

Gavin Coombes – one of a trio of players sent back to his province without featuring in a World Cup warm-up Test, the Munster No.8 has been overlooked once more despite a stellar performance against Toulon last Saturday.

Gavin Coombes during Munster rugby squad training at the University of Limerick in Limerick. Pic: Eóin Noonan,Sportsfile

Uncapped players – in naming the smallest Six Nations squad of his tenure, 34 players, Farrell has included no uncapped players other than the three aforementioned training panellists. It is a no-nonsense approach but in keeping numbers to just one above the World Cup maximum, the head coach has shown he means business and feels no need to spread his net any wider for now. Chances for the likes of John Hodnett, Scott Penny and Antoine Frisch will have to wait.