Predicting Ireland’s 23 v England After Six Nations Squad Announcement

January 15, 2025

Interim head coach Simon Easterby named his Ireland squad for the upcoming Six Nations on Wednesday, with few surprises in the selection.

Leinster’s Jack Boyle is the sole uncapped player in the main squad, with four uncapped stars also included as ‘development players.’

Simon Easterby has named the Ireland squad for the Six Nations

Caelan Doris once again captains the side, while Jack Boyle is the only uncapped player in the main squad

Hugh Cooney, Cathal Forde, James McNabney and Ben Murphy are included as development players pic.twitter.com/GZzLuIZkX3

— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) January 15, 2025

The real question now is how Easterby’s Ireland will look when the first matchday of the Six Nations comes around.

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Picking the Ireland 23 to face England in Six Nations opener

15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster)

Has recovered in recent weeks from a wrist injury picked up in November’s win over Australia, though he is yet to start for Leinster since returning to full training.

Nonetheless, it would be a major surprise to see anyone other than Keenan start at full-back against England. An ever-present for Ireland in recent years.

14. Mack Hansen (Connacht)

30 November 2024; Mack Hansen of Ireland is tackled by Len Ikitau of Australia during the Autumn Nations Series match between Ireland and Australia at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Hansen has been sentenced to a spell on the bold step for his comments made after Connacht’s defeat to Leinster last month. Conveniently for Simon Easterby and Ireland, Hansen’s three-game suspension ends just in time for the Six Nations, leaving little impact on his availability.

Though an argument is to be made that Hansen may not be fully match sharp by the time February 1st rolls around, he slotted straight back into the team for the November internationals after a lengthy injury layoff. We don’t foresee any issues here. On his day, Ireland’s best wing.

13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster)

A tricky call to be made here between Ringrose and his Leinster teammate Robbie Henshaw, both of whom will reasonably hope to start in the Aviva on opening weekend.

On the balance of form and style of play, we see Ringrose as marginally better suited to the task of facing England, though it would be no surprise to see Henshaw favoured here.

12. Bundee Aki (Connacht)

Ireland’s form centre and arguably the most consistent back five performer in a green jersey since 2023. Like Keenan, it would be a major surprise to see Aki missing from the starting XV.

11. James Lowe (Leinster)

Lowe’s place in the Ireland XV will depend on his fitness. The Leinster wing has been sidelined since the Autumn Internationals but has returned to training and was named in the 36-man squad on Wednesday. If fully fit, he will be expected to start against England on opening weekend.

10. Sam Prendergast (Leinster)

30 November 2024; Sam Prendergast of Ireland during the Autumn Nations Series match between Ireland and Australia at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

The biggest call in the starting XV – and the hardest to make at this stage.

Debates between Prendergast and Munster’s Jack Crowley will rage on right up until the team is named and the margins are razor thin. Prendergast was given the nod for the final of the four Autumn Internationals against Australia, the final big call made by Andy Farrell before his departure for Lions duties.

Crowley is a safer bet here, having played 10 throughout the Six Nations triumph last year. However, on form, and to add an element of dynamism to Ireland’s passing game, Easterby may just plump for Prendergast as it stands. Almost too close to call.

9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)

Absolute lock, second only to Antoine Dupont as the finest scrum-half in Northern Hemisphere rugby. Dictates how Ireland play.

1. Andrew Porter (Leinster)

No real debate here. Porter has been Ireland’s standout loosehead for some time now and you would expect nothing less than him to front up the pack yet again in the Six Nations opener.

2. Rónan Kelleher (Leinster)

23 November 2024; Rónan Kelleher of Ireland dives over to score his side’s eighth try despite the efforts of Peni Matawalu of Fiji during the Autumn Nations Series match between Ireland and Fiji at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile

There is a chance that Easterby may plump for the returning Dan Sheehan but Kelleher has earned his place on form and, for the time being at least, will likely hold on to the starting spot at hooker. That may change as the championship goes on and Sheehan develops match fitness.

3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster)

The evergreen Tadhg Furlong put in some mighty shifts in November and continues to be a pivotal point of Leinster’s pack as they remain undefeated this season. Finlay Bealham will be looking eagerly at chances to come in 2026 and ’27 but, for now, tighthead is still Furlong’s domain.

4. Joe McCarthy (Leinster)

After a blistering start to life in both the blue of Leinster and green of Ireland last season, things have slowed down somewhat for Joe McCarthy this year. He has struggled for consistent form at provincial level this campaign but has remained a regular in the starting XV for Leinster.

Despite his mixed form, his physicality and frame make him an ideal candidate to take on the challenge of England. Rotation might be expected in the second row as Ireland face different challenges down the line.

5. James Ryan (Leinster)

Like McCarthy, it’s been a while since we’ve seen the best of James Ryan in an Ireland jersey. However, he has returned to top form with Leinster during their recent URC and Champions Cup surges, and remains a core member of this squad.

His experience also stands to him and, regardless of who starts at 4, Ryan is likely to make up the other half of the second row.

6. Tadhg Beirne (Munster)

30 November 2024; Tadhg Beirne of Ireland fails to take possession in a lineout during the Autumn Nations Series match between Ireland and Australia at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Another lock in the starting XV – but perhaps not at lock. Beirne has been Munster’s standout player for some time now and has rarely let Ireland down since making his debut in 2018.

Should Jack Conan or Ryan Baird be tipped to start, Beirne will likely move into the second row alongside James Ryan. It is almost certain, however, that he will be in this starting team in some way, shape or form.

7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster)

Thankfully for fans of Leinster and Ireland, Josh van der Flier has returned of late to the soaring form that delivered the World Player of the Year gong in 2022. Alongside Aki, Gibson-Park, Porter, and Beirne, he is one of the absolute certainties (we think) to start against England.

8. Caelan Doris (Leinster) (captain)

And the final lock in the team. Ireland captain, Leinster captain, and favourite to captain the Lions this summer. If the other five names mentioned are 99% certainties to start, Doris is 100%. Consistently reliable and rightly nominated for World Player of the Year last year.

Replacements

16. Dan Sheehan (Leinster)

May start, but more likely for a bench role as he continues his recuperation from a lengthy injury layoff.

17. Cian Healy (Leinster)

The evergreen Cian Healy is, impressively, in a Six Nations squad yet again. Even more remarkably, he will likely be in the matchday 23 yet again on February 1st.

18. Finlay Bealham (Connacht)

Pushing Furlong hard for the tighthead starting spot but will have to settle for a bench role this time around.

19. Ryan Baird (Leinster)

There is a chance Easterby may prefer the experience of Iain Henerson on the bench but Baird has earned his shot at Six Nations action with his performances for Leinster this season.

20. Jack Conan (Leinster)

A starting spot is a real possibility for Conan, and would likely come at the expense of one of the second rows we’ve gone for.

21. Conor Murray (Munster)

Shades of the Murray of old have been visible in his recent displays for Munster and Ireland, and his return from injury was pivotal in getting Munster over the line against Saracens on Saturday.

22. Jack Crowley (Munster)

50/50. Could well start and there would be few arguments if he did. Recent mishaps for Munster may cost him.

23. Ciarán Frawley (Leinster)

Robbie Henshaw would be desperately unlucky to miss out on selection in the 23. However, Frawley’s versatility may see him win this battle.