All change as Andy Farrell announces Ireland squad for 2024 Six Nations

Patrick McCarry

An influx of fresh faces, while retaining many of the men that fell short of World Cup history.

Wednesday at 2pm [January 17] sees Andy Farrell announce his Ireland squad for the opening rounds of the 2024 Six Nations, and we’ll have all the big talking points and reactions.

There are set to be a raft of changes, due to recent retirements and injuries – Johnny Sexton and Keith Earls in that first bracket, as well as the injured Mack Hansen, Dave Kilcoyne, Jimmy O’Brien and Rob Herring in the latter. Another, Ross Byrne, will be doing well to feature at all after an arm injury.

Ireland Squad – Guinness Men’s Six Nations 2024

Forwards (19):

Ryan Baird (Leinster/Dublin University)(15)
Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers)(36)
Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne)(46)
Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere)(41)
Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College)(36)
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf)(72)
Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf)(125)
Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy)(79)
Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Lansdowne)(26)
Jeremy Loughman (Munster/Garryowen)(4)
Joe McCarthy (Leinster/Dublin University)(5)
Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution)(101) (captain)
Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch)(12)
Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD)(59)
James Ryan (Leinster/UCD)(59)
Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne)(21)
Tom Stewart (Ulster/Ballynahinch)(2)
Nick Timoney (Ulster/Banbridge)(3)
Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD)(57)

Backs (15):

Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians)(52)
Harry Byrne (Leinster/UCD)(2)
Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon)(13)
Jack Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution)(9)
Ciaran Frawley (Leinster/UCD)(1)
Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(30)
Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers)
Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD)(36)
Jordan Larmour (Leinster/St Mary’s College)(30)
James Lowe (Leinster)(26)
Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor)(15)
Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen)(112)
Calvin Nash (Munster/Young Munster)(1)
Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD)(57)
Jacob Stockdale (Ulster/Lurgan)(37)

Training Panellists:

Oli Jager (Munster)*
Thomas Ahern (Shannon/Munster)*
Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster)*

Click on the key point you want to read about, or just keep scrolling to see updates in our live hub [below]:

Ireland players, from left, Tadhg Furlong, Garry Ringrose and Robbie Henshaw. (Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile)

Ireland defending their Six Nations title

Players from last year’s World Cup squad that are definitely out for this Six Nations are the retired Johnny Sexton and Keith Earls, as well as the injured Mack Hansen, Dave Kilcoyne, Jimmy O’Brien and Rob Herring.

With Ross Byrne and Harry Byrne both in the wars, Andy Farrell may go with three out-halves with not a pile of Test experience – Jack Crowley, Sam Prendergast and Ciarán Frawley.

Farrell, meanwhile, has insisted his British & Irish Lions sabbatical, from December 2024 until July 2025, will not impact on his plans for this year. “I’ll balance the two roles by ensuring I give both roles everything,” he said.

“I’m grateful to the IRFU for this opportunity. I wouldn’t take on this role unless I could do both roles to the best of my ability.”

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