6 Nations
Six Nations: Injury Report
Who’s out?
Ireland
Embed from Getty ImagesSecond row is the main area of concern for Ireland for the opening round of the Six Nations. Iain Henderson faces some time on the sidelines after a reoccurrence of an ongoing problem with his finger. Tadhg Beirne will miss the opening two games after sustaining a knee injury in Munster’s win over Exeter. Dan Leavy is still rehabbing a calf problem, but will probably be in contention for selection for Leinster against Scarlets this weekend.
Scrum-halves are a potential issue. Conor Murray is back, but both Kieran Marmion and Luke McGrath are out. John Cooney is in flying form for Ulster, and is a very able deputy. Caoilin Blade will be raring for a run out, after impressing for Connacht for the last few seasons. Joe Schmidt will have been happy to see two of his most important big game players return to action in the Champion’s Cup last weekend, Sean O’Brien and Robbie Henshaw both completed 55 minutes against Wasps and showed no signs of being rusty.
Scotland
Embed from Getty ImagesHooker is the biggest area of concern for Scotland. While number one choice Stuart McInally is fit, usual backups Fraser Brown and George Turner are unlikely to feature. Gregor Townsend has called up the uncapped trio of Edinburgh’s Dave Cherry, Glasgow’s Grant Stewart or Leicester’s Jake Kerr.
Hamish Watson was a huge loss to Scotland last weekend. The openside has a firm grasp on the Scotland 7 jersey, and was a part of a very effective combination with Johnny Barclay and Ryan Wilson. ‘Pinball’ was considered by many to be unlucky to miss out on a Lions jersey. Jonny Gray is currently dealing with a shoulder issue, but will remain in camp. His brother Richie unfortunately, will miss the tournament, as will captain Barclay, and the permanently crocked Duncan Taylor.
England
Embed from Getty ImagesEddie Jones may have been tempting fate when he said that England’s injury list is the lowest its been for three years. There are some minor concerns however. Dylan Hartley is set to miss the opening rounds, so Owen Farrell will retain the captaincy. Chris Robshaw is likely to miss the majority of the tournament, as is flanker Sam Underhill, and winger Anthony Watson.
There are recalls however for the Vunipola brothers and Ellis Genge who missed the Autumn internationals through injury. Joe Launchbury was withdrawn early from Wasps’ loss to Leinster, but Dai Young has played down any worries saying “We don’t see it potentially being an issue moving forward.”
Wales
Embed from Getty ImagesThe backrow is an area of concern for Warren Gatland. Taulupe Faletau returned after three months out with a broken arm, only to re-break it in his comeback game.
Ellis Jenkins and Aaron Shingler are both still recovering from cruciate ligament damage, while Ross Moriarty and Ollie Griffiths still haven’t returned to action. James Davies had a reoccurrence of a foot problem playing for Scarlets against the Blues around Christmas and hasnt featured since. Dan Lydiate injured his bicep playing for Wales in November and is a doubt for the start of the competition. Leigh Halfpenny has been included in the extended squad, but is still suffering from concussion symptoms, so it remains to be seen whether he will make it back during the Six Nations. Props Rhodri Jones, Leon Brown and Nicky Smith are also in doubt, as is Cardiff out-half Jarrod Evans. Gareth Davies is also likely to miss the first game or two
France
France have a quite short injury list, or maybe its harder to judge to the high player turnover rate in the national squad. Dangerous wing Teddy Thomas is the biggest name to miss out for France, along with fellow winger Alivereti Raka, who recently gained French citizenship. Other players to miss out include Castres flanker Mathieu Babillot, prop Cedate Gomes Sa, and veteran lock Yoann Maestri
Embed from Getty ImagesItaly
Italy have a similar problem to France with the player turnover rate, so there is not a long list of absent players. The two injured players are two important ones however. Gloucester flanker Jake Polledri. Polledri is an incredible ball-carrier and will be a huge loss to Italy’s source of go-forward ball. The other main absentee is electric full-back Matteo Minozzi. Minozzi lit up last year’s tournament with box office displays in every game, earning himself a nomination for Player of the Tournament
Head Coach Simon Easterby has today named a 33-player Emerging Ireland squad for the upcoming three-match Tour to South Africa.
Easterby, along with the National Coaching Team, have identified high potential players from across the four Provinces to assemble for camp at the IRFU High Performance Centre next week, before departing for Bloemfontein on Saturday, 28 September.
Munster’s Alex Kendellen, who previously captained Ireland U20s, has been named as Tour captain.
Two players who were part of Andy Farrell‘s Ireland squad for the recent Summer Tour of South Africa – Sam Prendergast and Cormac Izuchukwu – are included in the travelling party, while former Ireland U20 captains Gus McCarthy and Evan O’Connell are named by Head Coach Easterby.
Ulster forward Izuchukwu is one of two players set for their second Emerging Ireland Tour alongside Leinster back row James Culhane.
Emerging Ireland will face the Pumas in their campaign opener on Wednesday, 2 October (Kick-off 4pm local time/3pm Irish time), before going head-to-head with Super Rugby outfit Western Force on Sunday, 6 October (Kick-off 1pm local time/12pm Irish time).
Easterby’s side will then conclude the Tour against defending Currie Cup champions the Cheetahs on Wednesday, 9 October (Kick-off 7pm local time/6pm Irish time), with all matches being played at Toyota Stadium.
The Tour schedule is designed to challenge the players in a National Team environment, providing them with a window to impress the coaches and train and play to the National Team’s tactical and technical approach, while presenting them with access to meaningful game time in a green jersey.
Broadcast details for Emerging Ireland’s three matches will be confirmed in due course.
Emerging Ireland Squad:
Forwards (18):
Jack Aungier (Lansdowne FC/Connacht)
Jack Boyle (UCD RFC/Leinster)
James Culhane (UCD RFC/Leinster)
Jordan Duggan (Naas RFC/Connacht)
Sean Edogbo (UCC RFC/Munster)
Ronan Foxe (Garryowen FC/Munster)
Cormac Izuchukwu (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)
Sean Jansen (Connacht)
Alex Kendellen (UCC RFC/Munster)(captain)
Gus McCarthy (UCD RFC/Leinster)
Darragh Murray (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)
Evan O’Connell (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)
Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster)
Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution FC/Munster)
Harry Sheridan (Dublin University FC/Ulster)
Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
Alex Soroka (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
Scott Wilson (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
Backs (15):
Shayne Bolton (Connacht)
Hugh Cooney (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
Ethan Coughlan (Shannon RFC/Munster)
Matthew Devine (Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
Cormac Foley (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
Jack Murphy (Clontarf FC/Ulster)
Tommy O’Brien (UCD RFC/Leinster)
Sean O’Brien (Clontarf FC/Munster)
Ben O’Connor (UCC RFC/Munster)
Andrew Osborne (Naas RFC/Leinster)
Jude Postlethwaite (Banbridge RFC/Ulster)
Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
Rob Russell (Dublin University FC/Leinster)
Zac Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster/Ireland Sevens).
Emerging Ireland Tour Fixtures:
- Wednesday, 2 October: Emerging Ireland v The Pumas, 4pm local time/3pm Irish time
- Sunday, 6 October: Emerging Ireland v Western Force, 1pm local time/12pm Irish time
- Wednesday, 9 October: Emerging Ireland v The Cheetah, 7pm local time/6pm Irish time.
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Munster Rugby and the IRFU are pleased to confirm contract extensions for Conor Murray and Jack Daly with Brian Gleeson to be promoted from the Academy to the senior squad next season.
Murray and Daly have signed one-year extensions with Gleeson moving up to the senior squad on a two-year deal.
Gleeson is one of five Academy players moving up to the senior squad next year with Tony Butler, Ethan Coughlan, Mark Donnelly and Edwin Edogbo also signing two-year deals.
Conor Murray is one of the most decorated scrum-halfs in world rugby with 116 Ireland caps and three British & Irish Lions tours to his name.
A former St Munchin’s College student, the Garryowen man won his fifth 6 Nations title with Ireland last month and earned his second league title with Munster last season.
The 34-year-old has made 185 Munster appearances and scored 34 tries for the province to date and was named on World Rugby’s Team of the Decade in 2019.
25-year-old flanker Jack Daly came up through the ranks at Castleisland RFC and made his Munster debut against Zebre in 2020.
Daly joined the Academy in 2018, moved up to the senior squad in 2021 and plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen. A former Ireland U20 international, he made his Champions Cup debut against Toulouse in the quarter-final at the Aviva Stadium in 2022.
Try-scoring number 8 Brian Gleeson leads the charge for the Ireland Under-20s against France ©INPHO/Evan Treacy
20-year-old Gleeson moves up to the senior squad after just one year in the Academy that has seen him score one try in nine senior appearances.
Currently out of action with an ankle injury, he had already made three Champions Cup appearances before turning 20.
The powerful back-row forward was a Grand Slam winner with the Ireland U20s last year. plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen and came up through the ranks at Thurles RFC and Rockwell College.
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash against Scotland at Aviva Stadium (Kick-off 4.45pm).
Ireland – currently sitting top of the Six Nations table heading into Super Saturday – can clinch back-to-back Championship titles with victory over Scotland in Dublin.
Farrell has named an unchanged starting XV for the Round 5 clash, as Hugo Keenan, Calvin Nash and James Lowe continue in the Ireland back three. Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki are once again selected in midfield, with Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park the starting half-backs.
Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong pack down in the front row, with Joe McCarthy partnering Tadhg Beirne – who is set to win his 50th Test cap for Ireland – in the engine room.
Captain Peter O’Mahony is at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier is at openside and Caelan Doris completes the starting XV at number eight.
The Ireland Coaching Team have opted for a 5-3 split on the bench, with Rónan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan providing the reinforcements up front, and Conor Murray, Harry Byrne and the fit-again Garry Ringrose the backline options.
Saturday’s match is live on Virgin Media One and ITV, with live radio coverage available on RTE Radio 1.
Ireland Team & Replacements (v Scotland, Guinness Men’s Six Nations, Saturday, March 16, 4.45pm)
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(39)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(5)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(71)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(55)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(30)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(13)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(34)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(63)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(25)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(75)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(9)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(49)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(captain)(104)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(61)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(40)
Replacements:
16. Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(30)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(128)
18. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(39)
19. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(19)
20. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(45)
21. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(115)
22. Harry Byrne (UCD/Leinster)(3)
23. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)(57).
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
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