FRIDAY NIGHT WAS supposed to be the beginning of Sean Jansen’s drive towards making Ireland’s World Cup squad next year.
Instead, it was the end of his Nations Championship campaign, with the Connacht number eight now ruled out of the rest of this month’s action.
Jansen had white strapping around his left knee when the game kicked off, but he got through plenty of work in that opening 40 minutes as he carried hard and came up with one crucial breakdown poach near Ireland’s try line when the game was a real contest.
And yet, the knee appeared to be causing him hassle, with Jansen receiving medical attention on the pitch at least once.
Jansen then emerged for the second half with new black strapping around the same knee, evidence of further assessment. And it seemed clear in how Jansen moved that it was affecting him. He lasted only five more minutes before limping off with a despondent look on his face.
So it was no surprise when confirmation that his November campaign is over landed on Monday morning. Jansen will leave Ireland camp and return to Connacht to continue his rehabilitation.
This obviously doesn’t rule him out of next year’s World Cup, and he has quickly gained ground this year, although he will have to contend with Caelan Doris and Jack Conan returning from their injuries. Three out-and-out number eights in one 33-man squad would be a lot.
It’s disappointing for Ireland to lose Jansen now, but the show must go on.
David McCann has been called up this week. Steve Haag Sports / EJ Langner/INPHO
Steve Haag Sports / EJ Langner/INPHO / EJ Langner/INPHO
Jansen joins fellow number eights Doris and Conan on the injury list, meaning Ireland boss Andy Farrell must drop a little further down the depth chart at the back of the scrum.
Farrell has opted against calling up another pure number eight, although uncapped Ulster back row David McCann has joined the squad. The 26-year-old has played at the back of the scrum for his province, but is mainly used at blindside or openside flanker.
Munster’s Gavin Coombes and Brian Gleeson were the obvious options for a call-up if Ireland wanted another out-and-out number eight, but Farrell and co. are evidently happy with what they already have in camp for now.
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23-year-old uncapped Ulster back row James McNabney will hope to be involved this weekend against Fiji, the game that was always likely to provide an opportunity for his Test debut.
McNabney primarily played at blindside flanker during his two seasons with the Ireland U20s in 2022 and 2023, although that was largely because Gleeson was brilliant as the starting number eight in both campaigns.
McNabney had played number eight for Ulster’s under-age representative teams, and he did get a start there for the Ireland U20s at the Junior World Championships in 2023.
The 6ft 5in, 120kg back row also made his senior Ulster debut at number eight. Indeed, 10 of his 18 Ulster starts have been at the back of the scrum.
So the explosive, aggressive McNabney is as much a number eight as a blindside flanker.
He is a highly promising player with the dynamism to make an impact in Test rugby, but it would be a stunning rise if McNabney were to debut for Ireland against Fiji and then feature against South Africa a week later.
Nick Timoney carries the ball against Argentina. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
Perhaps the most obvious scenario for the clash with the Springboks is that Nick Timoney would start at number eight, given that he moved there last Friday night when Jansen was forced off.
Josh van der Flier replaced Jansen, with Timoney moving from openside flanker to the back of the scrum. And the Ulster man continued to excel despite that change in position.
Timoney was outstanding for Ireland and might even have been named player of the match but for Hugo Keenan’s hat-trick performance at fullback.
The physicality in Timoney’s game was as impressive as anything, with the Ulster man making some memorable tackles on Argentinian ball-carriers. He has an impressive ability to dip very low into the tackle but then explode upwards with real power.
Timoney is a big breakdown threat too, with his first-half turnover penalty leading directly to Dan Sheehan’s try against Los Pumas on Friday. On the other side of the ruck, Timoney was busy, vicious and accurate with his clearouts against Argentina.
The Ulster man is a superb ball-carrier with his low running style, while his passing game has continued to grow. Timoney regularly featured in the middle of Irish pods on Friday night, sweeping passes out the back to playmakers like Sam Prendergast. He can throw subtle tip-on and tip-in passes too.
One of Timoney’s biggest strengths is his kick chase, where his searing pace is useful. It helps being able to cover the ground quickly, but Timoney’s work ethic and fitness are as important. Farrell and assistant coach Paul O’Connell love this part of the Ulster man’s game.
Timoney has had a brilliant year with Ireland, playing in every game of the Six Nations and all three of the games in the July window of the Nations Championship. Last Friday was big for him because he got a starting chance at openside in Ireland’s frontline team.
Timoney took his chance and is now a genuine competitor to Josh van der Flier for the number seven shirt.
But right now, with three number eights missing, Timoney and van der Flier could fit into the same back row against South Africa.
Cian Prendergast can play across the back row. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
There is another possibility in the Ireland squad, with Cian Prendergast having started at number eight for Farrell’s side in a World Cup warm-up game against England in 2023 and against Portugal in the summer of 2025.
Prendergast has also started plenty of games for Connacht at the back of the scrum, even if it’s clear that he plays his best rugby on the blindside flank.
As well as bringing quality around the pitch, and notably out in the 15-metre channels for Connacht this season, Prendergast is a top-class lineout operator. If Ireland want to get more lineout skills into their team against South Africa, Prendergast is certainly a strong option at number eight.
Ryan Baird’s return meant he took the number six shirt against Argentina, with Prendergast missing out on the match day 23, but perhaps the injuries at number eight will open the door for the Connacht skipper.
Either way, Prendergast will be hoping for a start against Fiji this weekend, while McNabney would be excited to get his Test debut.
The outside possibility this month was that Ireland could follow Leinster by giving hooker and captain Dan Sheehan a crack at number eight, with Farrell seemingly open-minded about that prospect when asked last week.
However, it might be one to trial in-game rather than from the start against the world-leading South Africa, particularly with Sheehan currently undergoing a 12-day return-to-play process after suffering a concussion against Argentina.
For now, Timoney’s physicality and international form mean he looks like the frontrunner to play at eight against the Springboks.
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Who will play at number eight for Ireland against the Springboks?
FRIDAY NIGHT WAS supposed to be the beginning of Sean Jansen’s drive towards making Ireland’s World Cup squad next year.
Instead, it was the end of his Nations Championship campaign, with the Connacht number eight now ruled out of the rest of this month’s action.
Jansen had white strapping around his left knee when the game kicked off, but he got through plenty of work in that opening 40 minutes as he carried hard and came up with one crucial breakdown poach near Ireland’s try line when the game was a real contest.
And yet, the knee appeared to be causing him hassle, with Jansen receiving medical attention on the pitch at least once.
Jansen then emerged for the second half with new black strapping around the same knee, evidence of further assessment. And it seemed clear in how Jansen moved that it was affecting him. He lasted only five more minutes before limping off with a despondent look on his face.
So it was no surprise when confirmation that his November campaign is over landed on Monday morning. Jansen will leave Ireland camp and return to Connacht to continue his rehabilitation.
This obviously doesn’t rule him out of next year’s World Cup, and he has quickly gained ground this year, although he will have to contend with Caelan Doris and Jack Conan returning from their injuries. Three out-and-out number eights in one 33-man squad would be a lot.
It’s disappointing for Ireland to lose Jansen now, but the show must go on.
Jansen joins fellow number eights Doris and Conan on the injury list, meaning Ireland boss Andy Farrell must drop a little further down the depth chart at the back of the scrum.
Farrell has opted against calling up another pure number eight, although uncapped Ulster back row David McCann has joined the squad. The 26-year-old has played at the back of the scrum for his province, but is mainly used at blindside or openside flanker.
Munster’s Gavin Coombes and Brian Gleeson were the obvious options for a call-up if Ireland wanted another out-and-out number eight, but Farrell and co. are evidently happy with what they already have in camp for now.
23-year-old uncapped Ulster back row James McNabney will hope to be involved this weekend against Fiji, the game that was always likely to provide an opportunity for his Test debut.
McNabney primarily played at blindside flanker during his two seasons with the Ireland U20s in 2022 and 2023, although that was largely because Gleeson was brilliant as the starting number eight in both campaigns.
McNabney had played number eight for Ulster’s under-age representative teams, and he did get a start there for the Ireland U20s at the Junior World Championships in 2023.
The 6ft 5in, 120kg back row also made his senior Ulster debut at number eight. Indeed, 10 of his 18 Ulster starts have been at the back of the scrum.
So the explosive, aggressive McNabney is as much a number eight as a blindside flanker.
He is a highly promising player with the dynamism to make an impact in Test rugby, but it would be a stunning rise if McNabney were to debut for Ireland against Fiji and then feature against South Africa a week later.
Perhaps the most obvious scenario for the clash with the Springboks is that Nick Timoney would start at number eight, given that he moved there last Friday night when Jansen was forced off.
Josh van der Flier replaced Jansen, with Timoney moving from openside flanker to the back of the scrum. And the Ulster man continued to excel despite that change in position.
Timoney was outstanding for Ireland and might even have been named player of the match but for Hugo Keenan’s hat-trick performance at fullback.
The physicality in Timoney’s game was as impressive as anything, with the Ulster man making some memorable tackles on Argentinian ball-carriers. He has an impressive ability to dip very low into the tackle but then explode upwards with real power.
Timoney is a big breakdown threat too, with his first-half turnover penalty leading directly to Dan Sheehan’s try against Los Pumas on Friday. On the other side of the ruck, Timoney was busy, vicious and accurate with his clearouts against Argentina.
The Ulster man is a superb ball-carrier with his low running style, while his passing game has continued to grow. Timoney regularly featured in the middle of Irish pods on Friday night, sweeping passes out the back to playmakers like Sam Prendergast. He can throw subtle tip-on and tip-in passes too.
One of Timoney’s biggest strengths is his kick chase, where his searing pace is useful. It helps being able to cover the ground quickly, but Timoney’s work ethic and fitness are as important. Farrell and assistant coach Paul O’Connell love this part of the Ulster man’s game.
Timoney has had a brilliant year with Ireland, playing in every game of the Six Nations and all three of the games in the July window of the Nations Championship. Last Friday was big for him because he got a starting chance at openside in Ireland’s frontline team.
Timoney took his chance and is now a genuine competitor to Josh van der Flier for the number seven shirt.
But right now, with three number eights missing, Timoney and van der Flier could fit into the same back row against South Africa.
There is another possibility in the Ireland squad, with Cian Prendergast having started at number eight for Farrell’s side in a World Cup warm-up game against England in 2023 and against Portugal in the summer of 2025.
Prendergast has also started plenty of games for Connacht at the back of the scrum, even if it’s clear that he plays his best rugby on the blindside flank.
As well as bringing quality around the pitch, and notably out in the 15-metre channels for Connacht this season, Prendergast is a top-class lineout operator. If Ireland want to get more lineout skills into their team against South Africa, Prendergast is certainly a strong option at number eight.
Ryan Baird’s return meant he took the number six shirt against Argentina, with Prendergast missing out on the match day 23, but perhaps the injuries at number eight will open the door for the Connacht skipper.
Either way, Prendergast will be hoping for a start against Fiji this weekend, while McNabney would be excited to get his Test debut.
The outside possibility this month was that Ireland could follow Leinster by giving hooker and captain Dan Sheehan a crack at number eight, with Farrell seemingly open-minded about that prospect when asked last week.
However, it might be one to trial in-game rather than from the start against the world-leading South Africa, particularly with Sheehan currently undergoing a 12-day return-to-play process after suffering a concussion against Argentina.
For now, Timoney’s physicality and international form mean he looks like the frontrunner to play at eight against the Springboks.
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8 Argentina eighth man Ireland Springboks