How Ireland manage tough start will set the tone for their Six Nations campaign.
Cian Tracey, Rugby Writer, Irish Independent
The last time Andy Farrell took charge of a Six Nations game, he guided Ireland to the country’s 16th title thanks to a final day win over Scotland. Now, as Farrell returns to the helm almost two years later following his Lions sabbatical, the landscape has shifted for Ireland, as they look to win back the crown that they relinquished to France last March. Opening tasks don’t come much more difficult than taking on the defending champions away from home, and while Ireland impressively beat France in Marseille at the start of Farrell’s previous successful campaign as head coach in 2024, Les Bleus will be much more formidable this time around.
The novelty of a first ever Thursday night fixture in order to avoid a clash with the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics is far from ideal for travelling supporters but a strong cohort of Irish fans are still expected to make the trip to Paris for the mouthwatering opener on February 5.
If the result and performance at Stade de France doesn’t give us a good indication of where Ireland currently stand after an inconsistent 2025, then we will certainly know a lot more come the break weekend at the end of round three. By that stage, Ireland will have travelled to France and a resurgent England, with a home game against Italy sandwiched in between the two crunch clashes that will define their Six Nations campaign. As ever, when it comes to the Six Nations, momentum is key, so in that regard a fast start is crucial for Ireland. Beat France and Farrell’s side will blow the tournament wide open. Lose, and suddenly the trip to Twickenham on February 21 will look much more daunting.
Last year’s third place finish means that Ireland have a lot of work to do to get back on top, and although the margins are small, the manner of their heavy defeat to France at the Aviva Stadium, which ultimately cost them the title, will have those of an Irish persuasion on red alert. France’s talisman Antoine Dupont hasn’t pulled on the blue jersey since he injured his knee during that victory, and with the brilliant out-half set to return to the international stage against Ireland, the sense of occasion will be heightened even further.
Ireland’s job will be to quieten the boisterous French crowd as early as possible, yet if they are to do so, they will need to step things up several notches from their patchy performances across the course of last year. Defeats to New Zealand and South Africa in November coupled with wins over Japan and Australia typified Ireland’s inconsistent year, but there are reasons to be optimistic that they can rediscover their best form. In many ways, last year was a strange one because with Farrell absent for the Six Nations and the summer tour to Georgia and Portugal, and with Ireland the bulk suppliers to the victorious Lions tour Down Under, there was always going to be significant disruption.
By the time they regathered in November, many of the Ireland players who had starred for the Lions last summer looked rusty, which is completely understandable given the mental and physical toll that such a busy tour had on their minds and bodies. Nothing summed that up more than the loss to the All Blacks in Chicago, where Ireland fell apart in the second-half before the double world champion Springboks dished out a sobering defeat in Dublin. France and England will have taken note of how the Boks dismantled the Ireland scrum, which must make significant improvements if they are to have any chance of winning this Six Nations.
The return of Joe McCarthy is very timely in that regard because such has been the powerful second-row’s excellent form with Leinster lately, the 24-year-old reminded Ireland what they missed when he was injured for the whole of November. Captain Caelan Doris is showing signs of getting back to his best following the serious shoulder injury that ruined the No 8’s dream of becoming a Lion last year, while hooker Dan Sheehan, and prop Tadhg Furlong will again be crucial to Ireland. So too will Jamison Gibson-Park’s pace and tempo from scrum-half, with Sam Prendergast and Jack Crowley continuing to battle it out for the much-coveted No 10 jersey. In-form Leinster out-half Harry Byrne will also hope to join that particular party. Ulster centre Stuart McCloskey has been excellent this season, with Leinster winger Tommy O’Brien in a similar boat. As ever, Farrell has several injury headaches to contend with, but he will hope that he has sufficient depth to provide cover where necessary.
The Ireland boss will need as many of his front-line players as possible on board for France, whose sights are firmly set on defending their title given that they play their two main rivals – Ireland and England – at home.
Since losing to Ireland in last year’s Six Nations opener, England have won each of their last 11 games – a remarkable run that has seen Steve Borthwick’s men lean on a kick-heavy approach, which is in keeping with rugby’s current trend.
Having once again been drawn in the same pool as Scotland for next year’s World Cup in Australia, Ireland’s final day meeting with Gregor Townsend’s outfit will take on another layer of intrigue.
Ireland, though, will hope that their destiny remains in their own hands by the time that March 14 showdown at the Aviva Stadium rolls around.
Welsh rugby remains at a low ebb, unfortunately, and they too will arrive in Dublin for a rare Friday night clash in Dublin (March 6), as Ireland finish their campaign with back-to-back home games.
The road to Six Nations glory is never straightforward, not least considering Ireland’s tough start, but they are a far better team than they showed last year. Now would be a good time to prove that is indeed the case, as they chase a 17th title and continue to build towards the 2027 World Cup.
