Prendergast at 10, Edogbo on the bench and a 6/2 split: what Ireland might look like in Paris
Will Andy Farrell show faith in Sam Prendergast for the Six Nations opener? Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
As ever with these things, the usual disclaimers apply. We still have another two weeks to negotiate before Ireland get their Six Nations campaign underway against France in Saint-Denis so this is a stab at the matchday team and squad based on current fitness levels.
Tadhg Furlong, Finlay Bealham, Hugo Keenan, Jamie Osborne, James Lowe, Tommy O’Brien and Ciaran Frawley all have question marks over their physical well-being as they pack their bags for Sunday’s trip to Quinta do Lago in Portugal where preparations will begin.
That aside, changes are inevitable from the side stuffed by the Springboks last time out.
Mack Hansen, Andrew Porter, Paddy McCarthy and Ryan Baird are all unavailable for the foreseeable, and there are valid doubts about the form of others – Bundee Aki, James Lowe and Sam Prendergast - who started that game against the world champions.
So, with all that in mind…Â
Hugo Keenan hasn’t played since the last British and Irish Lions Test at the start of August but he has hit the ground running from injury before and it’s hard to see him not starting in Saint-Denis if he hits all his markers between now and then.
Ireland still don’t have a like-for-like, tailor-made replacement. Mack Hansen is out injured having deputised in November. Ciaran Frawley and Jacob Stockdale are other contenders. And even Sam Prendergast or Jack Crowley have played there this month.
Tommy O’Brien looks a shoe-in on the right having transferred his Leinster form to Ireland on the back of a belatedly injury-free run of form. James Lowe is well off the boil but the expectation is that Andy Farrell will stick with that big left boot of his.
Stockdale and Robert Baloucoune offer other options along the tramlines but the decision not to promote one or both of Zac Ward and Joshua Kenny seems like an opportunity missed given the rugby both are playing and the group’s need for some energy.
Not much to discuss here. Garry Ringrose is almost automatic at 13 and Stuart McCloskey’s Ulster form makes him a much better option than Bundee Aki. Robbie Henshaw is injured with Tom Farrell the next man in.
Jamison Gibson-Park. No need for more there. As for the No.10s? Where do you start? None of the three contenders are perfect, far from it, but it’s impossible to see Jack Crowley start given recent evidence. The question is, does he make the 23?
That leaves Sam Prendergast or Harry Byrne. Byrne is only just back in the squad having not played since 2024. To start him would be an enormous call and the younger man offers more in attack. Far too tight to call, but gun to the head? Prendergast.
This picks itself with Jack Boyle, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong starting. Soft tissue issues to Furlong and Finlay Bealham may see Thomas Clarkson get the 18 jersey and it actually may be that Clarkson is ahead in that queue anyway.
The loosehead side is a major concern. Boyle is good but he went unused in November as Paddy McCarthy backed up Andrew Porter, both of them now out. Jeremy Loughman and Michael Milne are the next ones up. We’ll go with the former for the bench.
Farrell can go with James Ryan and Joe McCarthy – the latter missing in November – here and choose Tadhg Beirne at blindside. That would allow him the luxury of Jack Conan in reserve and maybe a certain young Munster lock to hand as well.
Caelan Doris will captain from No.8, Josh van der Flier remains head and shoulders above at openside, and with Beirne it’s only ever a question of which row he plays in. It’s blindside here. All three are world-class and have shown up well for the provinces lately.
Ireland haven’t gone 6/2 in any of their last three games against the Springboks, since the World Cup in fact. They have gone that way in their last two meetings with the French, though, so there may be no hard and fast rule here with Farrell.
It’s easy to see why Edwin Edogbo is seen as a candidate for a role in Paris given his size, his power and his form with Munster. Ireland just don’t have enough athletes of that calibre. Add in Ronan Kelleher, Clarkson and Conan and that’s serious impact.
The question is whether the versatile Cian Prendergast offers enough of the same to merit that extra forward spot, or if there is more to be gained by going with a third back. We think he does, but it ties in with the debate over the reserve ten.
Crowley covers 10, 12 and 15, Byrne maybe isn’t quite that versatile, but his place-kicking has been better and his form more steady. And Farrell clearly likes him having named him more than once in his absence in November.
Then there is Ciaran Frawley who, if fit, covers all those positions and nailed a winning kick in South Africa two summers ago. Whoever it is, they all offer some flexibility, which would be needed if Ireland go with just the two backs.
: H Keenan; T O’Brien, G Ringrose, S McCloskey, J Lowe; S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park; J Boyle, D Sheehan, T Furlong; J Ryan, J McCarthy; T Beirne, J van der Flier, C Doris.
: R Kelleher, J Loughman, T Clarkson, E Edogbo, C Prendergast, J Conan, C Casey, H Byrne.
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