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Big Joe McCarthy misses Ireland’s Six Nations opener with England

By PA
Joe McCarthy of Ireland during the Autumn Nations Series match between Ireland and Australia at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. (Photo By Seb Daly/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Ireland lock Joe McCarthy will miss Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations opener against England due to injury.

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Interim head coach Simon Easterby has moved Tadhg Beirne into the second row to replace McCarthy, with Ryan Baird given a rare international start after being named at blindside flanker.

Leinster fly-half Sam Prendergast is again preferred to Munster’s Jack Crowley, having worn the number 10 jersey for his country’s final two autumn fixtures, victories over Fiji and Australia.

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      McCarthy, 23, started each of Ireland’s 11 Tests in 2024 on the back of an impressive display in last year’s championship opener away to France.

      Baird has won the bulk of his 24 Test caps as a replacement but did start when back-to-back champions Ireland completed the Grand Slam by beating England in 2023.

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      Easterby’s maiden starting XV since since taking over from Andy Farrell on a temporary basis shows only two personnel changes to the team which began the 22-19 win over Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies on November 30.

      Centre Garry Ringrose is the other man recalled, replacing Robbie Henshaw to resume his partnership with Bundee Aki.

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      Ronan Kelleher has been retained at hooker, with Dan Sheehan among the replacements, having scored two tries for Leinster last weekend on his return from a long-term knee injury.

      Tighthead prop Finlay Bealham continues amid the ongoing injury absence of Tadhg Furlong, with loosehead Andrew Porter completing the front row.

      Beirne partners James Ryan, while 25-year-old Baird joins captain Caelan Doris and openside flanker Josh van der Flier in the back row.

      Scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park resumes his half-back partnership with provincial team-mate Prendergast, 21.

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      Full-back Hugo Keenan and wings Mack Hansen and James Lowe complete the line-up.

      Back-rower Jack Conan, who has not featured at international level since last year’s tournament, is among the replacements, in addition to Sheehan, Cian Healy, Tom Clarkson, Iain Henderson, Conor Murray, Crowley and Henshaw.

      Looking ahead to England’s visit to Dublin following a training camp in Portugal, Easterby said: “It wasn’t easy selecting a squad for this week’s game given the quality of those who haven’t made the final 23.

      “Credit to those who missed out on selection for this game, there was obvious disappointment but they all stepped up brilliantly to help prepare the team this week.

      “England are a talented squad with quality across their panel and we know that we will need to hit the ground running to deliver a winning performance.

      “We’re ready for the challenge and excited to get going.”

      Ireland team: H Keenan (Leinster); M Hansen (Connacht), G Ringrose (Leinster), B Aki (Connacht), J Lowe (Leinster); S Prendergast (Leinster), J Gibson-Park (Leinster); A Porter (Leinster), R Kelleher (Leinster), F Bealham (Connacht), J Ryan (Leinster), T Beirne (Munster), R Baird (Leinster), J Van der Flier (Leinster), C Doris (Leinster, capt).

      Replacements: D Sheehan (Leinster), C Healy (Leinster), T Clarkson (Leinster), I Henderson (Ulster), J Conan (Leinster), C Murray (Munster), J Crowley (Munster), R Henshaw (Leinster).


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      1 Comment
      f
      fl 21 days ago

      big opportunity for Itoje and Martin!

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      J
      JW 1 hour ago
      Where is the new breed of All Black 10?

      Maybe Covid-19 did us some favours after all

      NZR and Australia had a great opportunity to dump Super Rugby and reset with a more sustainable future, but unfortunately they only had eyes on getting back to playing asap, ditto the South Africans with their departure for the immediate salvation in URC. How ironic, to try to continue it on only to have it ripped up, with your squandered chance at something new gone.

      You might look at the guys that have shown a lot of loyalty to us [like Richie]

      No, that’s a bad edit. Why does it need to be a lot of loyalty though? If Richie had of won a RWC for New Zealand surely that would make up for a lack of loyalty in this regard? Of course Mo’unga had said goodbye long before that but Beauden Barrett had also, and he got offered a sabbatical deal to return despite no longer technically being on NZRs books. I guess the elephant here is that Richie accepted a 3 year deal, but that’s what the JRLO teams want, not 1 year, not even 2 years. Why does it have to be about his All Black status that determines loyalty as well? Why can’t any NZ player be given a sabbatical after 8 full SR seasons, and still be able to hold onto that dream if they find themselves flourishing in an overseas environment?

      The All Blacks’ brand has to be seen to be ultimate sporting success story to attract and sustain sponsorship, which spools the debate all the way back to selection policy and Razor’s ability to pick players plying their trade abroad.

      We’ll see if you understand your oxymoron here. No, no other side of the coin presented, not even a cursory to those you know who’ll post lol The reason the brand has been such a success is put solely down to the selection policy, how are you going to change the opinion on that? I don’t think it’s possible, I can see change when they give up trying. Thankfully that looks a long way off and a return to number one immanent for this ‘last hope’ of a rugby stronghold.

      Jacomb was on the field for the first 51 minutes, D-Mac played the full 80. During the time with Jacomb at 10 and McKenzie at 15, the Chiefs were losing 6-14.

      What were the stats then though? That’s what I’d like to know.

      Mo’unga may be on sabbatical in Japan, but absence has if anything increased his importance to New Zealand rugby

      Unfortunately JRLO made some changes to their content protection this year, unsure why, so no, his absences has unfortunately morphed into obscurity. Thankfully Rugby Pass TV has come to the table and given one game a week to NZ viewers if anyone is interested (myself it kinda came too late in the piece).


      Please to see Jacomb get through his third start with such aplomb. Another tight game this week so perhaps another tight performance needed by him again. The Chiefs have lost their second starting fullback so Dmac might be asked to continue in the position for a while yet.

      6 Go to comments
      J
      JW 2 hours ago
      Super Rugby rolls back the years but challenges lie ahead

      There is no appetite – either in New Zealand and Australia or Japan – to recreate a separate team like the Sunwolves to sit as a sole representative in Super Rugby.

      If theres no appetite, why are you suggesting it?


      Any JRLO involvement is a long way off were SR looses its place, and is only a equivalent of the Champions Cup. Which if happened, would still be a general overall win.


      Any inclusion of the Jaguares would also require a recalibration of that tournament. Argentina would not be able to field a strong team by themselves (without changing Los Pumas eligibility again, which we don’t want them to do), it needs the full support of Super Rugby Americas, a competition which runs from Feb to Jun as well. I suppose it really depends how many stars UAR could bring back home, Jaquares have been brought back, so maybe they do have an aim, but would they accept hosting their games out of Santiago (just an hr further than Tokyo)?


      One thing I could see change is SRP moving to finish in Oct.


      Edit: The Sunwolves brand is pretty much Brave Lupus now I’d imagine so this team would need a new name, and I still see Tokyo as being the best place economically to place a new team, but would SRA and MLR get together to share a team their if they don’t have the players to do it individually? It just seems a waste of brand expenditure just for these unions to dip their foot into SR. Perhaps it’s a Hawaiian team?

      3 Go to comments
      S
      Stacy K Davis 4 hours ago
      Crusaders prepare for 'dangerous in all elements' Chiefs game-breaker

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      LONG READ
      LONG READ Where is the new breed of All Black 10? Where is the new breed of All Black 10?
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