No surprises expected as Simon Easterby set to name first Ireland squad

Andy Farrell is sitting out the Guinness Six Nations in his temporary role at the helm of the 2025 British & Irish Lions.

FIRST SQUAD: Ireland defence coach Simon Easterby and head coach Andy Farrell. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Simon Easterby will name his first squad as Ireland’s interim head coach on Wednesday with Andy Farrell sitting out the Guinness Six Nations in his temporary role at the helm of the 2025 British & Irish Lions but selection surprises are not expected.

There was positive fitness news ahead of this week’s final round of European pool games and before a week-long national squad training camp in Portugal with Leinster duo, hooker Dan Sheehan and left wing James Lowe, in contention for the Aviva Stadium clash against Bath this Saturday after stepping up their respective rehabilitation programmes while tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong, No.8 Jack Conan and fly-half/full-back Ciarán Frawley all came through their comeback games in the full-blooded pool win at La Rochelle last Sunday following returns from injury.

Lock Ian Henderson returned for Ulster at Leicester Tigers last weekend and Peter O’Mahony is in contention to end a month-long absence with a calf contusion by reappearing for Munster at Northampton Saints this Saturday as the countdown to the championship opener against England in Dublin on February 1 intensifies.

Easterby does potentially face a decision on a replacement for suspended prop Tom O’Toole, the Ulsterman who was deployed at loosehead as well as his more customary tighthead position in November but was sent off against Munster on December 20 and picked up a ban which will end after the second-round trip to Scotland.

Leinster’s Thomas Clarkson, who made his debut off the bench against Argentina on November 15, and Munster’s Oli Jager, who earned his first cap in last season’s Six Nations are the frontrunners for inclusion.

Munster interim boss Ian Costello is hoping last Saturday’s improved performance in defeating Saracens at Thomond Park will help sway Easterby’s decision-making in tight selection calls.

“I think if there was a 50/50 it might get across the line,” Costello said on Tuesday, “but I don't think the Irish management are reactionary, I think they'll have decided 99 per cent of the squad already.

“It might have got someone across the line that they wanted to wait, I don't honestly know, we'll find out tomorrow.

“We usually get a little heads up, which is critical for us because we want to have as many people in green jerseys as we can at all levels, especially at senior level, and we also want to know what we have to select from going to the Dragons (on January 25). It might look like the Champions Cup is the only show in town but have a we pretty important (URC) game next week as well.”