6 Nations 2021

[Flash Gordon]

Some pretty notable omissions! Good to see Rhys back involved

Ireland Squad 2021 Guinness 6 Nations Championships
Backs (17)

Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 30 caps

Billy Burns (Ulster) 3 caps

Ross Byrne (Leinster/UCD) 11 caps

Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon) uncapped

Andrew Conway (Munster/Garryowen) 24 caps

Shane Daly (Munster/Cork Con) 1 cap

Keith Earls (Munster/Young Munster) 88 caps

Chris Farrell (Munster/Young Munster) 14 caps

Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 5 caps

Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers) 47 caps

Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 6 caps

Jordan Larmour (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 24 caps

James Lowe (Leinster) 2 caps

Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor) 4 caps

Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 87 caps

Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 30 caps

Jonathan Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 95 caps (C)

Forwards (19)

Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 17 caps

Will Connors (Leinster/UCD) 5 caps

Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 7 caps

Ultan Dillane (Connacht/Corinthians) 17 caps

Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf) 25 caps

Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 104 caps

Dave Heffernan (Connacht/Buccaneers) 5 caps

Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 58 caps

Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 16 caps

Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Lansdowne) 6 caps

Dave Kilcoyne (Munster/UL Bohemians) 39 caps

Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 73 caps

Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Banbridge) uncapped

Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 32 caps

Quinn Roux (Connacht/Galwegians) 16 caps

Rhys Ruddock (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 26 caps

James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 32 caps

CJ Stander (Munster/Shannon) 46 caps

Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 28 caps

[Atlas]

Congrats RR, well deserved.

Surprised about Furlong, it'll be 12 months since he's played a single minute when the 6 nations start

[wixfjord]

Congrats RR, well deserved.

Surprised about Furlong, it'll be 12 months since he's played a single minute when the 6 nations start

He'll surely play this weekend for us?

[Atlas]

Congrats RR, well deserved.

Surprised about Furlong, it'll be 12 months since he's played a single minute when the 6 nations start

He'll surely play this weekend for us?

Wanna bet?

[johng]

Furlong and Lowe to get 40 to 60 mins at the weekend would be my guess.

[Flash Gordon]

Furlong and Lowe to get 40 to 60 mins at the weekend would be my guess.

Any issue with Leinster vs Ireland bubble? We have to play the 6 Nations, rugby is on a knife edge financially.

[johng]

Yep good point. Scarlets might be a "risk too far" from a covid POV

[munster#1]

Very interesting squad.
From a Munster perspective it is great to have Casey recognised and selected, but at the same time it is a shame that he will likely be holding tackle bags when he would have been starting games for Munster.

Shame that Coombes didn’t make it, but his time will come.

Great to see Furlong back. I hope that he isn’t just automatically handed the 3 jersey, as Porter has earned the right to stake his claim IMO.

Hopefully the 6N goes off without a glitch and Ireland manage to improve on the last few outings.

[munster#1]

Interesting to hear that Joe Marler has withdrawn from the English squad to allow him to spend time with his Family.

I am not a massive fan of Marler, but his decision is admirable.

[Flash Gordon]

Very interesting squad.
From a Munster perspective it is great to have Casey recognised and selected, but at the same time it is a shame that he will likely be holding tackle bags when he would have been starting games for Munster.

Shame that Coombes didn’t make it, but his time will come.

Great to see Furlong back. I hope that he isn’t just automatically handed the 3 jersey, as Porter has earned the right to stake his claim IMO.

Hopefully the 6N goes off without a glitch and Ireland manage to improve on the last few outings.

Porter holds the jersey, up to Furlong to give the coaches a reason to question that. Thought Porter was very good vs Munster at he weekend, made over 20 tackles, a proper shift.

The backrow has unbelievable talent. Coombes, Leavy, Conan, Jordi Murphy didn't make it. Plus a raft of other players either injured or developing.

[munster#1]

Very interesting squad.
From a Munster perspective it is great to have Casey recognised and selected, but at the same time it is a shame that he will likely be holding tackle bags when he would have been starting games for Munster.

Shame that Coombes didn’t make it, but his time will come.

Great to see Furlong back. I hope that he isn’t just automatically handed the 3 jersey, as Porter has earned the right to stake his claim IMO.

Hopefully the 6N goes off without a glitch and Ireland manage to improve on the last few outings.

Porter holds the jersey, up to Furlong to give the coaches a reason to question that. Thought Porter was very good vs Munster at he weekend, made over 20 tackles, a proper shift.

The backrow has unbelievable talent. Coombes, Leavy, Conan, Jordi Murphy didn't make it. Plus a raft of other players either injured or developing.

It would be a good message for Farrell to send out if Porter does retain the jersey for the 6N.

Yes, there is an embarrassment of riches in the backrow, and I still think that JOD is being under utilised by club and country.

[Jcahill1]

Very interesting squad.
From a Munster perspective it is great to have Casey recognised and selected, but at the same time it is a shame that he will likely be holding tackle bags when he would have been starting games for Munster.

Shame that Coombes didn’t make it, but his time will come.

Great to see Furlong back. I hope that he isn’t just automatically handed the 3 jersey, as Porter has earned the right to stake his claim IMO.

Hopefully the 6N goes off without a glitch and Ireland manage to improve on the last few outings.

Porter holds the jersey, up to Furlong to give the coaches a reason to question that. Thought Porter was very good vs Munster at he weekend, made over 20 tackles, a proper shift.

The backrow has unbelievable talent. Coombes, Leavy, Conan, Jordi Murphy didn't make it. Plus a raft of other players either injured or developing.

It would be a good message for Farrell to send out if Porter does retain the jersey for the 6N.

Yes, there is an embarrassment of riches in the backrow, and I still think that JOD is being under utilised by club and country.

I'm glad Coombes is come through, seems like a long term replacement for standers close-in carrying ability for Leinster and Ireland.

[Ruckedtobits]

The idea that Casey has shown anything in a top class game (Interpro or EPCR) to rank him ahead of Marmion or Cooney is novel. Certainly his cameo last Saturday didn't leave any clues as to why he is so highly rated by Farrell. The omission of Carty is also a mystery.

Can't see this Irish Squad producing any improvement from that see in Autumn and that wasn't good enough.

[wixfjord]

Congrats RR, well deserved.

Surprised about Furlong, it'll be 12 months since he's played a single minute when the 6 nations start

He'll surely play this weekend for us?

Wanna bet?

According to Stu, he’s playing for us at the weekend. Trained with us yesterday too.

So how about that bet?

[leinsterforever]

The idea that Casey has shown anything in a top class game (Interpro or EPCR) to rank him ahead of Marmion or Cooney is novel. Certainly his cameo last Saturday didn't leave any clues as to why he is so highly rated by Farrell. The omission of Carty is also a mystery.

Can't see this Irish Squad producing any improvement from that see in Autumn and that wasn't good enough.

They probably figure they can give more weighting to potential when it comes to selection of the third choice 9 since whoever it is is unlikely to actually play much. He was clearly playing to coach's orders on Saturday rather than playing to his strengths. Don't know why they didn't just let him do his thing, whipping the ball out to up the tempo.

Agree on Carty. I'd have him ahead of Burns and Byrne.

[Atlas]

He'll surely play this weekend for us?

Wanna bet?

According to Stu, he’s playing for us at the weekend. Trained with us yesterday too.

So how about that bet?

If he does play, I'll stand corrected but even allowing for what Stu said, I'd still be surprised.

The overall point though is picking a guy who hasn't played in 11 months is wrong. The message sent to Moore, Ryan, Bent and others is a really bad message.

Same could be said about Lowe who hasn't played since November and there is DK in great form, yet no hope of getting in.


Same old problem, harder to get out of the team/squad than to get into it.

[munster#1]

Given the financial ruin that each union currently finds themselves in, I wonder if the coaches are feeling additional pressure to produce a result now, with no view to future progression?

If this is the case then it would explain the inclusion of Lowe and Furlong, because it might be worth the gamble.
Farrell and co. obviously has no faith in anyone outside of Furlong and Porter based on his selections to date.

I know it will not be popular on here, but the selection of Sexton as captain is a very odd decision, and I wonder if it is again out of hope that he can regain form rather than what is clear for many to see.

In a normal world you would expect this 6 nations to be used for progression, but I expect Ireland to play boring and safe rugby throughout this 6 nations.

[wixfjord]

Wanna bet?

According to Stu, he’s playing for us at the weekend. Trained with us yesterday too.

So how about that bet?

If he does play, I'll stand corrected but even allowing for what Stu said, I'd still be surprised.

The overall point though is picking a guy who hasn't played in 11 months is wrong. The message sent to Moore, Ryan, Bent and others is a really bad message.

Same could be said about Lowe who hasn't played since November and there is DK in great form, yet no hope of getting in.


Same old problem, harder to get out of the team/squad than to get into it.

Ah come on, Moore, Ryan and Bent are not a patch on Tadhg Furlong.

How anyone could be annoyed about him getting into a 6N squad when he's one of our only potentially world class players is beyond me.

[mfjoc]

Why is Andrew Conway in the squad even though he hasn't played for 6 weeks (due to Personal reasons?)
Surely Dave Kearney deserves to be there?

[Atlas]

According to Stu, he’s playing for us at the weekend. Trained with us yesterday too.

So how about that bet?

If he does play, I'll stand corrected but even allowing for what Stu said, I'd still be surprised.

The overall point though is picking a guy who hasn't played in 11 months is wrong. The message sent to Moore, Ryan, Bent and others is a really bad message.

Same could be said about Lowe who hasn't played since November and there is DK in great form, yet no hope of getting in.


Same old problem, harder to get out of the team/squad than to get into it.

Ah come on, Moore, Ryan and Bent are not a patch on Tadhg Furlong.

How anyone could be annoyed about him getting into a 6N squad when he's one of our only potentially world class players is beyond me.

Yes a fully match fit and in form Furlong is world class, of which he is neither.

I just think it's not a great call because, it says to the squad that there are untouchables that will be picked regardless of form, it says to the player that they will be picked regardless of form and it also puts pressure on that player.

Instead of having a few easy games and intro's from the bench to find form/confidence in the pro 14, they need to produce from day 1 more or less against international class opposition after nearly a year out.

I take Munster1's point about it being a gamble and the point that the backups aren't as good as Furlong but still, I'm surprised by it.