The winners and losers as Ireland name Six Nations squad

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell named a 37-man squad for the upcoming Six Nations on Wednesday.

WINNER: Munster's Edwin Edogbo. Picture: INPHO/Ben Brady

Reasons to cheer

The newbies:

Munster lock Edwin Edogbo and Ulster scrum-half Nathan Doak are the two uncapped players named in the 37-man squad. Edogbo was superb off the bench against Castres last week and Doak has been pivotal to his province’s revival this season.

Three for the front row:

Injuries to Andrew Porter and Paddy McCarthy have led to recalls for the Munster looseheads Jeremy Loughman and Michael Milne. Tom Stewart’s return in place of Gus McCarthy is purely a nod to his displays with Ulster.

Backs back in the fold:

Harry Byrne’s reintegration was a cert given how he has pushed Sam Prendergast for the Leinster No 10 jersey. Robert Baloucoune has beaten the impressive pair of Zac Ward and JJ Kenny to a back three spot after returning from his own injury issues.

Outside looking in

Iain Henderson:

The Ulster captain and second row is 33 now and 14 years on from the first of his 85 caps. He played just under an hour against the All Blacks in Chicago in November but Andy Farrell has turned to youth in the form of Edogbo.

Caolin Blade:

The title of Ireland’s third-choice scrum-half has changed hands with Ulster’s Doak usurping his Connacht counterpart, and the pair of Fintan Gunne and Ben Murphy make up the nines listed for the Ireland XVs selection.

Gus McCarthy:

The Leinster hooker has nine caps, started against Georgia and Portugal last summer and got a run against Japan in November. Behind Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher at Leinster, he’s now in the XVs group and has Tom Stewart in the queue ahead for Ireland.