Ireland's Six Nations squad raises as many questions as answers
Andy Farrell hand was forced with up to 10 major squad injuries. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
The 37-man Ireland Six Nations squad Andy Farrell named on Wednesday raises as many questions as answers.
That could be seen as a good thing given past criticisms of conservatism in selection. This latest collective includes ten players who weren’t involved last November for one reason or another.
Two of them, Munster lock Edwin Edogbo and Ulster scrum-half Nathan Doak, are in line for Test debuts.
Farrell himself has pointed out that a dozen players have already made Ireland senior debuts across the last 18 months alone. It’s also true to say that there are 16 players in this group who have earned just ten caps or fewer to date.
Now, here’s the but.
Farrell’s hand was forced by no less than ten injuries, some of them to key figures.
Paddy McCarthy, Mack Hansen, Ryan Baird, Shane Bolton and Jordan Larmour are all relatively long-term absentees. Andrew Porter, Robbie Henshaw, Cormac Izuchukwu and Calvin Nash are others unavailable to take a call right now.
That’s a hefty chunk of talent removed from the chess board as Farrell takes this squad to Quinta do Lago in Portugal on Sunday ahead of an historic Thursday night opening to the Six Nations against France in Paris early next month.
Other concerns?
At least eight of those selected are light on match fitness or carrying recent knocks. Hugo Keenan hasn’t played since August, Jamie Osborne since November. James Lowe is out of form and struggling for fitness.
Robert Baloucoune is only back last week, Garry Ringrose has played once since early December and Finlay Bealham hasn’t been seen for a few weeks as he deals with a knee injury. A little too glass half-empty? Maybe, but hear us out.
Ireland went in to the November window massively undercooked, with a number of players hardly back a wet week after their summer tour with the British and Irish Lions. They suffered for it with a flop of a performance against the All Blacks in Chicago.
They never really hit stride all month.
There is no room for a slow start in February with a home tie against an improving Italy and then a trip to Twickenham to follow the opening French test: and all that in the space of three successive weekends before the one and only rest week of the series.
“Everyone saw there was a bit of rust coming from the off-season, from people in Leinster, especially three different groups coming back at different stages,” said Keenan, speaking yesterday as an ambassador for BWG Foods.
“The whole team wasn't really in sync and didn't have that cohesive nature that it normally did.
“There was a bit of rustiness. I'm going to try and maybe take the mentality and look at the likes of Caelan [Doris] who was out with a shoulder injury, who missed the summer, but was training hard, and who's been keeping his mind in rugby, doing a lot of training like I've been doing over the last couple of months.
“I haven't been off my holidays. I've been trying to stay in touch with the game, trying to keep the mind ticking over. I've been out on the pitch the last couple of weeks, trying to sharpen myself and, although I'm not quite ready to jump back into a game, training often is as competitive.”
Keenan has hit the ground running after injury before and expects to be back on the park in “the next couple of weeks”. As superb a player as he is, there is more room for moving pieces around in the back three even with the decision not to promote either Zac Ward or JJ Kenny.
The situation up front is of more concern.
Bealham’s issue, allied to the latest calf problem Tadhg Furlong picked up with Leinster in Bayonne last weekend, has led Farrell to name four tightheads with Ulster’s Tom O’Toole, who has played both sides of the scrum, getting a recall. Thomas Clarkson is also on board.
The worry on the far side of the front row is even greater. With Paddy McCarthy and Porter out, Jack Boyle is front of that queue for Paris having been unused in four games through the autumn. Munster’s Jeremy Loughman and Michael Milne will back him up.
Ireland’s scrum was mullered by the Springboks in November and there isn’t any doubt that Fabien Galthié’s pack will look to test their visitors in Saint-Denis in two weeks’ time. the first setpiece will be utterly critical, on the night and for the Championship.
We will at least know by then who Farrell sees as his number one at No.10. Four have been included in his travelling party for Portugal with Sam Prendergast, Jack Crowley and Frawley now joined by Harry Byrne. Who will it be?
Just one of those many questions.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
