IRELAND HEAD COACH Andy Farrell is set to name a settled-looking Ireland side for Saturday’s Six Nations opener against Wales at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin [KO 2.15pm, RTÉ], with Connacht wing Mack Hansen in the mix for a possible debut.
Farrell will hope to see Ireland continue the momentum they gathered when beating Japan, New Zealand, and Argentina last autumn, meaning it’s expected he will tomorrow name a team very similar to the one that beat New Zealand in November.
Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, and Tadhg Furlong should make up a strong front row, with tighthead prop Furlong having returned to training this week after recovering from a calf injury.
Munster’s in-form Tadhg Beirne could partner James Ryan in the second row, presuming the Leinster man has overcome a hamstring injury. Ulster’s Iain Henderson has been also been sidelined recently with an ankle issue and was thought to be Ireland’s biggest injury doubt for this Wales clash.
The back row of Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, and Jack Conan was excellent in the autumn, although Munster’s Peter O’Mahony is in superb form too.
Jamison Gibson-Park is the favourite to start at scrum-half but has been vying with Conor Murray, while captain Johnny Sexton will lead the team from the number 10 shirt.
The midfield selection will have been a tough decision for Farrell, with Bundee Aki, Robbie Henshaw, Garry Ringrose, and James Hume all pushing for starts, but the Ireland boss could go for the Leinster duo of Henshaw and Ringrose.
Hugo Keenan looks nailed-on at fullback, while Andrew Conway may retain his place on the right wing, where there is competition from Robert Baloucoune, Keith Earls, and Jordan Larmour.
Of course, one of those men could play on the left wing – where James Lowe is missing due to injury – with Earls regularly starting there for Munster and Conway having worn Ireland’s number 11 shirt against the US last summer.
However, it is thought that Connacht’s Mack Hansen has impressed in Ireland camp over the past two weeks and selecting him would be an exciting move from Farrell.
Australia native Hansen joined Connacht last summer and has been in superb form for the province this season, scoring six tries in nine starts.
The 23-year-old ex-Brumbies back qualifies to play for Ireland through his mother, Diana O’Shea, who is from Castlemartyr in County Cork.
Hansen first came into the Ireland set-up last autumn but didn’t win a cap at that stage.
Farrell is due to name his matchday 23 tomorrow afternoon.
- This article was updated at 11.46pm to correct ‘Japan’ to ‘Argentina’ in the second paragraph.
