Interim Ireland head coach Simon Easterby has announced his 36-man squad for the upcoming Guinness Six Nations, with Leinster’s Jack Boyle the only uncapped player included. The squad is set to defend their Six Nations title, following a strong campaign last year, with Easterby expected to make no major changes in the absence of head coach Andy Farrell, who is on a Lions sabbatical until the summer.
Leinster number 8 Caelan Doris will continue as captain, leading a squad that includes several returning players. Injured duo Dan Sheehan and James Lowe are expected to join the team in Portugal for their training camp, which begins next week.
The squad also features development players, including Hugh Cooney of Leinster, Ulster’s James McNabney, and Connacht’s Ben Murphy and Cathal Forde. These players will support the main group, gaining valuable experience while continuing their development.
Speaking about the squad selection, Easterby expressed his excitement for the upcoming tournament: “The Guinness Six Nations is one of the most keenly contested competitions in the global calendar, and there’s great excitement across the playing group and coaching team for this year’s tournament. Personally, I’m hugely excited to work with this talented group, and speaking to the players, you can sense that they are up for the challenge.”
Easterby also highlighted the emergence of new talent during the recent Autumn Nations Series, with Thomas Clarkson, Cormac Izuchukwu, Gus McCarthy, and Sam Prendergast all making their international debuts. He also noted the return of key players unavailable for the series, which will further enhance the squad’s depth and competition for places.
Ireland’s Six Nations campaign will kick off with a home fixture against England at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, 1 February, at 4.45pm. They will then travel to Edinburgh to face Scotland on Sunday, 9 February, before a break week. In Round 3, Easterby’s side will head to Cardiff to take on Wales at the Principality Stadium on Saturday, 22 February, at 2.15pm. A crucial showdown against France follows on Saturday, 8 March, at 2.15pm at the Aviva Stadium, with the tournament concluding on St. Patrick’s weekend in Rome, where Ireland will face Italy at Stadio Olimpico on Saturday, 15 March, at 2.15pm.
Easterby emphasized the importance of starting strong, particularly in their opening match against England: “The thing about the Six Nations is that you have to hit the ground running, and there’s no room for building or easing your way into competition. Every match counts, and facing England at home in the first round sharpens everyone’s mind to what will be a big task ahead.”