WHEN YOU LOOK at the quality of the players returning to the Ireland squad for the upcoming November Tests, it paints the achievement in South Africa last July in an even better light.
Andy Farrell’s side won that second Test without Jamison Gibson-Park, Mack Hansen, Hugo Keenan, and Iain Henderson, four experienced figures who missed out on that tour to face the Springboks.
To have scrum-half Gibson-Park, the attacking heartbeat of this team, back from his hamstring injury is exciting for Farrell, although he was encouraged to see Craig Casey stepping up strongly in the first Test in South Africa before Conor Murray started the second after an injury to Casey.
Hansen is another influential playmaker for Ireland from the right wing, with his defensive qualities important too. The Connacht man can change games but Farrell will have enjoyed the fact that Calvin Nash did well earlier this year. Hansen’s last game for Ireland was the 2023 World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand and he had been a key figure so his return is a big boost.
Hugo Keenan decided to join the Ireland 7s’ bid for Olympic glory during the summer, giving up the number 15 shirt he had so thoroughly nailed down. In his absence, Jamie Osborne delivered a brilliant performance in that second Test win over the Springboks to quieten questions about next-in-line at fullback.
Indeed, Osborne suggested he could even push Keenan for his place, a possibility that seemed outlandish only a few months ago given the latter’s importance to the team. Keenan has been all class again on his return for Leinster this season and Farrell will expect more of the same for Ireland.
Henderson is a highly experienced member of the squad, the fourth-most capped player in Farrell’s autumn selection. Given the quality of Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne, and James Ryan, Henderson has had to fight for a place in the frontline matchday 23 in recent seasons, but he’s a brilliant lock to bring back into the fold.
With all of that in mind, Farrell can justifiably feel that his 35-man squad to face New Zealand, Argentina, Fiji, and Australia is stronger than the group he brought to South Africa last summer.
It helps that the injury situation at hooker is improving. Rónan Kelleher is still a doubt for the opener against the All Blacks on Friday 8 November but is recovering well enough to be named in the squad, while Ulster’s Rob Herring is clearly on the right track with his calf issue. Herring has yet to play this season but he’s a proven Test player, while Connacht’s Dave Heffernan steps up in place of the injured Dan Sheehan.
Overall, there is a strong sense of familiarity about this Ireland squad but there are plenty of intriguing storylines that have yet to fully take off.
For starters, Caelan Doris is now officially Ireland’s captain, taking over from Peter O’Mahony. The current hamstring injury for the latter perhaps made it a smoother final call but the decision appeared to be made by Farrell in South Africa when Doris stepped up as skipper for the second Test as O’Mahony dropped to the bench.
O’Mahony is a true great of Irish rugby and has continued to deliver good performances but the reality is that his direct influence on games as an individual player has somewhat waned. Concurrently, Doris looks ready for the full-time captaincy a little earlier than Farrell might have initially expected.
The timing feels right but there’s no doubting how much respect Farrell has for O’Mahony. The Cork man is part of this squad and it would be fitting for him to have a say in this November campaign in front of a big home crowd. Only O’Mahony knows how near to retirement he is but he deserves a proper farewell whenever that time comes.
24-year-old Cormac Izuchukwu and 21-year-old Sam Prendergast look certain to make their Test debuts in this campaign, having remained uncapped on that tour of South Africa.
That both of them were also part of the recent Emerging Ireland trip to South Africa underlined how keen the Irish coaching staff are to work with them, but also how they felt they needed more time in camp to get ready for Test rugby.
Lock/blindside Izuchukwu will have benefited from more time with forwards coach Paul O’Connell and his sheer athleticism means he has the potential to be an impactful player at Test level. Izuchukwu’s positional flexibility makes him an even more attractive proposition in a matchday 23.
With O’Mahony sidelined due to that hamstring injury that needs more rehab before he possibility features later in November and with Jack Conan missing out altogether with his own hamstring issue, the likes of Izuchuwku, Ryan Baird, and Cian Prendergast will be hoping for chances on the blindside flank.
However, it’s worth remembering that Beirne started in the number six shirt for Ireland in the second Test against the Springboks, with McCarthy and Ryan in the second row, so there is a strong formula there.
Prendergast, meanwhile, started all three Emerging Ireland games as the Irish coaches attempted to kick his understanding of their systems on before November. The Kildare man has been pushed to improve his defensive impact and appears to be bringing more intent in that area. The class of his passing, kicking, and decision-making is clear.
Ireland are hopeful that Ciarán Frawley’s ankle injury will clear in time for him to be involved against the All Blacks, but Prendergast’s debut should come this autumn.
There are several others in this Ireland squad with little Test experience who will be aiming to get more action.
The aforementioned Osborne has only two caps but the 22-year-old has the size, power, and skillset to grow as a force for Ireland over the coming seasons. Farrell had a hunch that Osborne was a ‘Test match animal’ when he launched him into the fray at number 15 against the Boks. It appeared Farrell was right, as he so often is in selection.
Second row McCarthy [12 caps] is still learning at this level, Nash [eight caps] will hope for more chances to grow, back rows Prendergast and Nick Timoney [three caps each] have been in good form for an extended period, and Casey [15 caps] will be eager to get a prime starting chance to follow up on that first Test in South Africa.
There’s also the reality that Ireland’s crop of out-halves remain relatively inexperienced. Jack Crowley is the incumbent starter but is only 24 years old and has 16 caps to his name, Frawley has little senior experience as an out-half even with Leinster, and Prendergast is only really getting his pro career going. Crowley is the front-runner but Frawley and Prendergast likely believe they have what it takes to be the main man sooner rather than later.
That inexperience explains why Farrell is keen to have the retired Johnny Sexton come back into the set-up in a mentoring role, as reported by the Irish Times. Sexton knows better than anyone that being an international out-half involves lots of ups and downs, so his influence would be beneficial.
As ever, there are in-form players unfortunate to miss out on making the Ireland squad, including Connacht’s Cathal Forde, Leinster’s Max Deegan, Munster’s Tom Ahern – who is only just back row injury – and Ulster’s David McCann. The back row competition rarely dims in Irish rugby.
Farrell has introduced a further crop of fresh faces by naming five ‘training panellists’ alongside his main squad.
With only five props in his 35-man group, Farrell is evidently continuing with the project to have Tom O’Toole cover loosehead prop for Ireland as well as playing tighthead for Ulster. 37-year-old Cian Healy has flipped over to tighthead for Leinster in the past.
Oli Jager is sidelined with a neck injury and he’s the tighthead to drop out after the South Africa tour, but Leinster props Thomas Clarkson and Jack Boyle will get training reps against the senior quintet in the coming weeks. 24-year-old Clarkson has kicked on notably at tighthead for Leinster in the past 18 months, while Boyle is an explosive, aggressive loosehead.
21-year-old hooker Gus McCarthy is still in the Leinster academy but the Irish coaches like the look of his abrasiveness and smart decision-making. The former Ireland U20 skipper is said to be a mature character and he has lots of potential.
24-year-old Connacht wing Shayne Bolton might not have imagined this swift rise when he arrived from his native South Africa in 2021 but he is a powerful wing who has the kind of dynamic change-up required in Test rugby.
And it makes sense to take another look at Munster openside Alex Kendellen, the 23-year-old who captained the Emerging Ireland tour a few weeks ago. Josh van der Flier has been ultra-durable and reliable in the number seven shirt, but Farrell is clearly keeping an eye on the depth chart in that openside role.
Those panellists will aim to impress in training and implement what they learn with their provinces, but the main Irish squad have an exciting schedule ahead next month.
The All Blacks in Dublin on a Friday night should be a grand occasion, Argentina have been playing delightful rugby under Felipe Contepomi, Fiji always thrill, and Joe Schmidt’s Australia should be improved especially with the returns of Samu Kerevi and Will Skelton, presuming the latter is available in that out-of-window final Test.
Farrell’s selections will be as intriguing as ever. He often has a surprise up his sleeve and while there is continuity in this squad, he always has an eye on development.
This will be his last campaign before leaving temporarily for the Lions job. Farrell’s aim will be to position Ireland as best he can ahead of the 2025 Six Nations, for which Simon Easterby takes charge.
The pool draw for the 2027 World Cup is due to take place in January 2026 and Ireland obviously want as high a ranking as possible for that. It might seem like ages away but in reality, with Tests against ‘Tier 2′ nations next summer, Ireland have three campaigns in which they must ensure they remain one of the top seeds for the draw.
Farrell will be aiming for a clean sweep of these November Tests for starters.
