DURING HIS 30 Tests in charge of Ireland since taking over ahead of the 2020 Six Nations, Andy Farrell has given 30 players their debuts.
In total, he has used 66 players but there has been a core group of key men who have racked up notably high minutes.
Before we go any further, consider this question – which five players have played the most Test minutes under Andy Farrell?
With the World Cup just seven months and 17 days away, it’s unlikely that there will be any great upheaval to Farrell’s squad. There is still room for a bolter like Jamie Osborne, who has been called up for the Six Nations, but time is running out.
It’s fascinating to reflect on who Farrell and his assistant coaches have called on most in each position over the last three years, as well as recalling some of the players who have only had fleeting opportunities. Of course, there is another big crop who haven’t been capped at all during his tenure.
Before we work through each positional group, the answer to our question above. The five players who have played the most Test minutes under Farrell, in order, are:
Hugo Keenan, James Ryan, Caelan Doris, Tadhg Beirne, and Andrew Porter.
Loosehead prop:
- 1,530 minutes Andrew Porter [19 starts]
- 974 Cian Healy [13 starts]
- 411 Dave Kilcoyne [4 starts]
- 146 Ed Byrne [0 starts]
- 61 Jeremy Loughman [0 starts]
- 14 Eric O’Sullivan [0 starts]
Porter is a crucial figure at loosehead but it’s worth remembering that he only switched back into the position in the last two seasons. The numbers above are the total of Porter’s minutes at both tighthead and loosehead under Farrell.
He has actually played more minutes at tighthead [822] than at loosehead [708], although he has more starts at loosehead [11] than at tighthead [8]. Regardless, Porter is a pivotal man for Ireland in the number one shirt now.
Cian Healy had previously been the incumbent in this position and remains a trusted back-up to Porter, even if he is a different player now at the age of 35. Beyond that, Farrell and his coaches have not been completely certain who their best forwards are.
34-year-old Dave Kilcoyne is now back from injury and into the squad and is easily the most experienced option, although Farrell had seemed to have taken a shine to his Munster team-mate Jeremy Loughman, who was first capped last autumn but is now injured.
Leinster’s Ed Byrne racked up six caps earlier in Farrell’s reign but hasn’t featured since 2021, while Ulster man Eric O’Sullivan had one brief replacement appearance against Scotland in 2020.
There was also one start for Finlay Bealham at loosehead against Georgia in that year’s Autumn Nations Cup, as well as a replacement appearance there, but he has focused solely on tighthead since.
Hooker:
- 986 Rob Herring [12 starts]
- 664 Rónan Kelleher [10 starts]
- 655 Dan Sheehan [8 starts]
- 108 Dave Heffernan [0 starts]
There were concerns around this position after the retirement of Rory Best but Ireland now have a fine crop of hookers in whom Farrell has built major trust.
Dan Sheehan’s emergence as a force at the very highest level has been thrilling to watch and he is the front-runner in the number two shirt right now, but Leinster team-mate Rónan Kelleher has returned strongly from injury and this promises to be an enthralling battle and partnership over the coming decade.
Ulster man Rob Herring is an experienced and highly reliable presence with a handy knack for finishing maul tries. While the more dynamic Leinster duo have been picked ahead of him when fit, Ireland have real faith in Herring’s skillset.
Connacht hooker Dave Hefferan has been fourth in line and called upon whenever injury has struck but he has not started a game under Farrell and finds himself outside the Six Nations squad again now.
Tighthead prop:
- 1,273 Tadhg Furlong [20 starts]
- 381 Finlay Bealham [2 starts]
- 141 Tom O’Toole [1 start]
- 66 John Ryan [0 starts]
It’s no surprise that Tadhg Furlong remains absolutely vital to this Ireland team, all the more so given that Porter moved across to the loosehead side of the front row.
That means that Furlong’s back-ups have made just three Test starts between them during the Farrell era. Losing Furlong to injury would be an obvious hammer blow, but Connacht’s Finlay Bealham has grown as a Test tighthead over the last two seasons.
24-year-old Ulster prop Tom O’Toole is well-liked by this Ireland set-up thanks to his mobility, power in the tackle, and ability to handle the ball, but he hasn’t had a huge amount of game time in which to learn at Test level.
Munster’s John Ryan has made three sub appearances under Farrell but will soon depart to New Zealand to join the Chiefs, meaning Ireland’s options in this area are even more limited, particularly given that Ulster’s Marty Moore [previously capped under Joe Schmidt] recently ruptured his ACL.
Ireland do have one of the very best tightheads in the game in the shape of Furlong, who has had to deal with injury frustration over the past two seasons but will hope to be back in peak condition by the time the World Cup rolls around.
Second row:
- 1,738 James Ryan [25 starts]
- 1,567 Tadhg Beirne [21 starts]
- 843 Iain Henderson [10 starts]
- 257 Ryan Baird [2 starts]
- 174 Quinn Roux [2 starts]
- 139 Ultan Dillane [1 start]
- 136 Kieran Treadwell [1 start]
- 87 Devin Toner [1 start]
- 22 Fineen Wycherley [0 starts]
- 21 Joe McCarthy [0 starts]
Capped by Ireland before he had even played for Leinster, James Ryan has already built vast Test experience at the age of 26. Indeed, he is set to move past the 50-cap milestone during the upcoming Six Nations. Farrell is a huge fan of Ryan’s work-rate, physicality, set-piece skills, and ever-growing leadership.
Tadhg Beirne has become a key figure in this set-up too, often combining with Ryan in the starting second row combination, although he also started three games at blindside flanker during the 2020/21 season.
Ulster captain Iain Henderson is another stalwart for Ireland whenever fit. Injuries have been a huge frustration for the 30-year-old, but Henderson, Beirne, and Ryan make up the frontline trio of Irish locks.
They’re joined in the current squad by 21-year-old Joe McCarthy, a large, powerful specimen who made his debut in November against Australia. The Irish coaches are excited about his potential as a havoc-creating tighthead lock.
McCarthy’s inclusion sees Ulster lock Kieran Treadwell missing out, having played off the bench in all three Tests of last year’s series success in New Zealand. Treadwell is an explosive athlete who will hope to help his province improve their form in the coming months. Ireland have picked him in squads even when he hasn’t always started for Ulster.
Quinn Roux is out of the picture for now as he is playing with Bath in the Premiership, although the 32-year-old has been linked with a move to Ulster next season.
Ultan Dillane is in the same boat having moved to La Rochelle in France, while Devin Toner retired last year having made a handful of appearances early in the Farrell tenure.
Munster’s Fineen Wycherley was capped against the US in the summer of 2021 but hasn’t featured since, while Leinster’s Ryan Baird now looks set to feature more as a back row option than as a lock.
Baird is a superb athlete and his form at number six for Leinster this season has been excellent. His two Ireland starts have both been in the second row, so his versatility and dynamism will be food for thought for Farrell.
Back row:
- 1,589 Caelan Doris [22 starts]
- 1,544 Josh van der Flier [21 starts]
- 1,291 Peter O’Mahony [16 starts]
- 1,008 CJ Stander [13 starts]
- 646 Jack Conan [7 starts]
- 420 Will Connors [5 starts]
- 155 Nick Timoney [2 starts]
- 89 Gavin Coombes [1 start]
- 80 Rhys Ruddock [1 start]
- 31 Cian Prendergast [0 starts]
- 30 Max Deegan [0 starts]
- 26 Paul Boyle [0 starts]
Caelan Doris started Farrell’s first game in charge against Scotland back in 2020 and though he only lasted a few minutes before suffering concussion, the Ireland boss hasn’t stopped picking him since.
The Leinster number eight has missed games due to injury but has been in the team whenever available. He is now up there among the best number eights in the game, although he has had nine starts at blindside flanker for Ireland, with 13 at number eight.
World Rugby player of the year Josh van der Flier has been another to rack up huge minutes under Farrell, all of them coming at openside where he has continually grown as a force against the very best teams. His consistency is next level.
CJ Stander had been an ever-present under Farrell either at blindside or number eight until his shock retirement from rugby in 2021 at the age of 30. It’s likely he would still be involved now but for that call to focus on his family and return to South Africa.
But Munster captain Peter O’Mahony remains a hugely important figure in this Ireland squad, racking up 14 starts at blindside flanker under Farrell, with a further two on the openside.
Leinster’s Jack Conan has been the fourth player in Ireland’s group of frontline back row players in recent seasons, with all of his seven starts under Farrell coming in the number eight shirt.
As mentioned above, Tadhg Beirne has had three starts in the back row, while Ryan Baird is now a live option here too.
As for the rest of the back row crop under Farrell, the resurgent Gavin Coombes is determined to add to the two caps he won in the summer of 2021 and looks in good shape to do so.
Connacht’s Cian Prendergast is also part of the current squad having made his debut against Fiji last autumn, but Ulster man Nick Timoney – two starts at openside under Farrell – has been omitted amidst his province’s struggles.
Will Connors featured prominently at openside in the earlier days of Farrell’s reign but he has been bedeviled by injury ever since and is only now nearing his return to action. Farrell loves the 26-year-old’s energy and defensive excellence.
Leinster stalwart Rhys Ruddock won one cap under Farrell against France in the 2021 Six Nations but hasn’t featured since, while Connacht’s Paul Boyle got a cap in the summer of 2021 but is out of the frame now.
Leinster man Max Deegan featured as recently as last autumn but was injured in the meantime and now must force his way back into the reckoning after Coombes’ impressive response to being dropped from the squad in November.
Scrum-half:
- 1,291 Jamison Gibson-Park [18 starts]
- 842 Conor Murray [11 starts]
- 175 Craig Casey [1 start]
- 52 John Cooney [0 starts]
- 23 Kieran Marmion [0 starts]
- 21 Caolin Blade [0 starts]
There aren’t many people out there who would have picked out Jamison Gibson-Park as being a pivotal player for Farrell but his skills are perfectly suited to the style of rugby that the Ireland boss wants to play.
Gibson-Park usurped long-time incumbent Conor Murray to become first-choice in this position, but the Munster player has remained a constant presence in the squad. He was left out of the Munster 23 last weekend but Farrell appreciates the experience and calm head that Murray offers.
His Munster team-mate Craig Casey, currently starting ahead of Murray for the province, makes up Farrell’s crop of scrum-halves, with others around the country looking on from outside.
Ulster’s Cooney played off the bench three times in 2020 Six Nations but is now considering a switch to Scotland ahead of the World Cup.
Connacht’s Kieran Marmion and Caolin Blade have made one appearance each under Farrell, while Leinster’s Luke McGrath hasn’t featured at all.
Out-half:
- 1,397 Johnny Sexton [20 starts]
- 1,030 Joey Carbery [6 starts]
- 217 Ross Byrne [1 start]
- 201 Billy Burns [2 starts]
- 106 Jack Crowley [1 start]
- 56 Harry Byrne [0 starts]
- 2 Jack Carty [0 starts]
Johnny Sexton will turn 38 in July and, injury permitting, will lead Ireland into the World Cup in France later this year. He remains the heartbeat of this team.
It’s clear and obvious that his fitness is vital to Ireland but Farrell must hope that the group behind him are more ready than ever if disaster should strike.
Joey Carbery has featured heavily under Farrell, starting six games and playing more than 1,000 minutes but he was left out of the current Six Nations squad.
Leinster’s hugely in-form Ross Byrne, who has started only once under Farrell, has earned a recall to the squad thanks to his longstanding game management and kicking qualities, as well as his much-improved attacking skills.
23-year-old Munster man Jack Crowley has also emerged, having debuted last November. He has been playing at 12 for Munster outside Carbery but the Ireland coaches are big fans of his creativity, strong personality, and ambition.
Ulster man Billy Burns made two starts for Ireland in the 2020/21 season but hasn’t played under Farrell since, while Leinster’s Harry Byrne has had a cruel run of injuries since making his debut in the summer of 2021.
Connacht’s Jack Carty made a brief replacement off the bench against France last year when Sexton was injured but has not been consistently picked in squads, while Leinster’s Ciarán Frawley is currently injured after being involved in last summer’s tour of New Zealand.
Centre:
- 1,353 Garry Ringrose [18 starts]
- 1,260 Robbie Henshaw [16 starts]
- 1,168 Bundee Aki [15 starts]
- 399 Stuart McCloskey [6 starts]
- 311 Chris Farrell [4 starts]
- 131 James Hume [1 start]
It’s no surprise to see the core trio of Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, and Bundee Aki at the top of this list. If all were fully fit and in form, it’s still tricky to pick the best pairing.
That said, Ringrose has become a must-pick at 13 thanks to his remarkable form. The Leinster man is an out-and-out 13, with all of his starts under Farrell coming in that jersey.
Aki is the same at number 12, where he has made all 15 of his starts under Farrell, but Henshaw can play in either centre position. He has had nine starts at inside centre, with seven at outside centre, but is currently injured.
Ulster man Stuart McCloskey had a strong autumn campaign to reestablish himself at inside centre and has now started six games under Farrell.
As mentioned earlier, the uncapped 21-year-old Leinster centre Jamie Osborne is the new face in this area of the squad. He can also play in the back three.
Ulster man James Hume was the coming force at outside centre last season but was slowed up by injury and has struggled to hit form in recent weeks as Ulster struggle for wins.
Munster’s Chris Farrell has also featured for Ireland but is currently stood down from action, although he is training with his province.
Back three:
- 1,941 Hugo Keenan [25 starts]
- 1,188 James Lowe [15 starts]
- 740 Jacob Stockdale [9 starts]
- 808 Andrew Conway [12 starts]
- 718 Keith Earls [8 starts]
- 720 Mack Hansen [9 starts]
- 339 Jordan Larmour [5 starts]
- 320 Robert Baloucoune [4 starts]
- 40 Will Addison [0 starts]
- 80 Michael Lowry [1 start]
- 66 Shane Daly [0 starts]
- 210 Jimmy O’Brien [2 starts]
Hugo Keenan has played more minutes than any other player in during Andy Farrell’s tenure with Ireland. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out why. His form has been incredibly consistent at fullback and he has continually added strings to his rock-solid bow. Keenan is one of the key players in this team at number 15.
In terms of back-up at fullback, Keenan’s Leinster team-mate Jimmy O’Brien has broken into the Ireland squad.
Ulster’s Mike Lowry started there against Italy last year but has now been left out of the Six Nations squad. Mack Hansen has been playing at 15 for Connacht recently but hasn’t started there for Ireland.
Jordan Larmour’s return to the squad is timely in this sense, with the Leinster man having started three games at fullback under Farrell, as well as twice on the right wing.
And Ulster’s Jacob Stockdale also has four starts at number 15 for Ireland – Keenan was on the wing – under Farrell, as well as playing five times on the left wing.
Ulster’s Will Addison played for Ireland against the US in 2021 but has been pretty much injured ever since, so Farrell hasn’t been able to take another look. He remains sidelined currently.
Leinster’s James Lowe has been a key figure for Ireland under Farrell, even if he did drop him during the 2021 Six Nations. His powerful carrying, intelligent roaming, and powerful left boot have made him first-choice on the left wing since. Lowe is currently back in New Zealand for personal reasons, but it’s hoped he will return to Ireland ahead of the start of the Six Nations.
Connacht man Hansen could start on the other wing once again for Ireland, having claimed a starting berth in typically relaxed fashion since his debut last year. Handily, he can play across the back three, with five starts on the right wing and four on the left so far.
Eyebrows have been raised at Keith Earls’ return to the Ireland squad despite being left out of Munster’s matchday 23 for the last two weekends, but Farrell has huge regard for the 35-year-old’s nous, calming influence, and leadership. Earls has started on the right wing six times for Farrell, with another two starts on the left wing.
Jimmy O’Brien is a recent addition to the back three group, having made an impressive debut off the bench at outside centre against South Africa back in the autumn. O’Brien then started games on the left wing and fullback to round out a brilliant first campaign with Ireland.
Missing out for this Six Nations is Ulster flyer Robert Baloucoune, who has four starts on the right wing under Farrell but has been sidelined by injury recently and has yet to fully ignite for Ireland.
Also out of action is Munster’s Andrew Conway, who was very prominent in the early seasons of the Farrell era. The 31-year-old has made 12 starts for Ireland under Farrell, with all but one coming on the right wing, but hasn’t played any rugby since last season due to a knee injury.
It had been hoped that he would return towards the end of last year, but he remains on Munster’s longer-term injury list. Farrell would love to see him back soon to add another back three option.
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