HE MIGHT HAVE some big shoes to fill over the next few months, but as he prepares to lead the country into the Six Nations as interim head coach, Simon Easterby has received the full backing from one of Ireland’s most experienced performers.
After previously being in charge of Welsh outfit Scarlets for two seasons, Easterby first joined the Irish backroom team as a forwards coach in 2014. He remained in this role until 2021, at which point he was redeployed as a defence specialist within Andy Farrell’s international set-up.
He subsequently served as head coach of the Emerging Ireland teams that toured South Africa in 2022 and 2024, and the former flanker now finds himself in the main international hotseat due to the sabbatical Farrell has taken in order to assume the mantle of the British & Irish Lions for their series in Australia later this year.
Speaking ahead of being named in his squad for the Six Nations, Henshaw offered up a ring endorsement of a man he has worked alongside in the Irish set-up for more than a decade.
“Simon is an unbelievable coach in terms of being around the dressing room for I’m not sure how many years, a long time. We really respect him as a coach, he’s done unbelievable things for our defence and for the forwards when he was there,” Henshaw remarked on a media call yesterday in his role as an Aer Lingus ambassador.
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“It’s exciting because he’s been there for a long time and he knows the group really well. There’s that continuity, he’s been there with Andy before. It’s hugely exciting and it’s exciting for Simon as well. He takes a good few of our meetings. He’s been a big voice within the team.”
Although success in the competition eluded him as a player, Easterby has been a part of four Six Nations successes as an Ireland assistant coach – including the Grand Slam triumphs of 2018 and 2023. He will be hoping this year’s campaign ends with his charges winning the competition for a third consecutive season, but history has shown it is often dangerous to look beyond the opening round of the Championship.
Back in 2019, Henshaw was named at full-back as Ireland began their defence of the Six Nations against England at the Aviva Stadium. It was a difficult afternoon for the Athlone man in the number 15 jersey and the hosts ultimately fell to a 32-20 defeat at the hands of their arch rivals.
The English (who were the only side to defeat Ireland in the 2024 Championship) will be back in the Aviva for the opening round of this year’s Six Nations on 1 February and Henshaw is aiming to avoid a repeat of their clash at the same stage of the competition six years ago.
“I remember it was a tough game. It was tough European fixtures we had before that and they came all guns blazing as we expected so I think the same again. We know what they’re going to bring. Physicality, intensity, a proper Test match.
“For us, I think when we get together next week we have to hit the ground running in terms of our preparation and make sure we switch into Irish mode as quickly as possible. I know the coaches will be all over that for us. We are expecting a proper battle, as you always expect from England in this competition.”
Pictured is Aer Lingus ambassador Robbie Henshaw. Aer Lingus, the Official Airline of Irish Rugby for the last 10 years, are celebrating bringing #HomeAdvantage to Ireland’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations Championship once more this year, by supporting the team’s travel to away games in Scotland, Wales and Italy. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Before he and a large contingent of his provincial colleagues link up with the Ireland squad, Henshaw will be seeking to make it four wins from four with Leinster in this season’s European Champions Cup. Following victories against Bristol Bears, Clermont and La Rochelle, Leinster are at the summit of Pool 2 and already guaranteed a home game in the Round of 16 in Europe’s top-tier competition.
Yet Leo Cullen’s men also want to play additional knockout fixtures on home soil and will therefore be hell-bent on getting the better of Bath in their final pool encounter at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday to secure the highest possible ranking. Given the English Premiership table-toppers have former Munster head coach Johann van Graan at the helm – and also include his former Leinster team-mate Ross Molony amongst their squad – Henshaw has a strong idea of what to expect in Lansdowne Road this weekend.
“He’s a great coach and he’s done some brilliant things for the club there. Turning them around a huge amount in terms of when he got there and where they’ve got to now. They’ve a good game plan in terms of how they play the game. It’s exciting for us because we haven’t played them in a couple of years in this competition. It’s going to be a good test for us,” Henshaw added.
“It will be great to see Ross and hopefully play against him. I know the forwards will probably be saying ‘change a few of the calls’ because he is such a good line-out operator, Ross. He’s a great guy, a great player.”
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'Simon is an unbelievable coach. He's been a big voice within the team'
HE MIGHT HAVE some big shoes to fill over the next few months, but as he prepares to lead the country into the Six Nations as interim head coach, Simon Easterby has received the full backing from one of Ireland’s most experienced performers.
After previously being in charge of Welsh outfit Scarlets for two seasons, Easterby first joined the Irish backroom team as a forwards coach in 2014. He remained in this role until 2021, at which point he was redeployed as a defence specialist within Andy Farrell’s international set-up.
He subsequently served as head coach of the Emerging Ireland teams that toured South Africa in 2022 and 2024, and the former flanker now finds himself in the main international hotseat due to the sabbatical Farrell has taken in order to assume the mantle of the British & Irish Lions for their series in Australia later this year.
Speaking ahead of being named in his squad for the Six Nations, Henshaw offered up a ring endorsement of a man he has worked alongside in the Irish set-up for more than a decade.
“Simon is an unbelievable coach in terms of being around the dressing room for I’m not sure how many years, a long time. We really respect him as a coach, he’s done unbelievable things for our defence and for the forwards when he was there,” Henshaw remarked on a media call yesterday in his role as an Aer Lingus ambassador.
“It’s exciting because he’s been there for a long time and he knows the group really well. There’s that continuity, he’s been there with Andy before. It’s hugely exciting and it’s exciting for Simon as well. He takes a good few of our meetings. He’s been a big voice within the team.”
Although success in the competition eluded him as a player, Easterby has been a part of four Six Nations successes as an Ireland assistant coach – including the Grand Slam triumphs of 2018 and 2023. He will be hoping this year’s campaign ends with his charges winning the competition for a third consecutive season, but history has shown it is often dangerous to look beyond the opening round of the Championship.
Back in 2019, Henshaw was named at full-back as Ireland began their defence of the Six Nations against England at the Aviva Stadium. It was a difficult afternoon for the Athlone man in the number 15 jersey and the hosts ultimately fell to a 32-20 defeat at the hands of their arch rivals.
The English (who were the only side to defeat Ireland in the 2024 Championship) will be back in the Aviva for the opening round of this year’s Six Nations on 1 February and Henshaw is aiming to avoid a repeat of their clash at the same stage of the competition six years ago.
“I remember it was a tough game. It was tough European fixtures we had before that and they came all guns blazing as we expected so I think the same again. We know what they’re going to bring. Physicality, intensity, a proper Test match.
“For us, I think when we get together next week we have to hit the ground running in terms of our preparation and make sure we switch into Irish mode as quickly as possible. I know the coaches will be all over that for us. We are expecting a proper battle, as you always expect from England in this competition.”
Before he and a large contingent of his provincial colleagues link up with the Ireland squad, Henshaw will be seeking to make it four wins from four with Leinster in this season’s European Champions Cup. Following victories against Bristol Bears, Clermont and La Rochelle, Leinster are at the summit of Pool 2 and already guaranteed a home game in the Round of 16 in Europe’s top-tier competition.
Yet Leo Cullen’s men also want to play additional knockout fixtures on home soil and will therefore be hell-bent on getting the better of Bath in their final pool encounter at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday to secure the highest possible ranking. Given the English Premiership table-toppers have former Munster head coach Johann van Graan at the helm – and also include his former Leinster team-mate Ross Molony amongst their squad – Henshaw has a strong idea of what to expect in Lansdowne Road this weekend.
“He’s a great coach and he’s done some brilliant things for the club there. Turning them around a huge amount in terms of when he got there and where they’ve got to now. They’ve a good game plan in terms of how they play the game. It’s exciting for us because we haven’t played them in a couple of years in this competition. It’s going to be a good test for us,” Henshaw added.
“It will be great to see Ross and hopefully play against him. I know the forwards will probably be saying ‘change a few of the calls’ because he is such a good line-out operator, Ross. He’s a great guy, a great player.”
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