Eire seem a aspect in decline having misplaced their Six Nations crown to France in 2025. Can they show folks improper?
Eire are off the again of a disappointing 12 months on the entire. After successful a Triple Crown and their first three fixtures of the championship in opposition to England, Scotland and Wales, Eire blew an unprecedented 142-year alternative at successful three outright Six Nations titles in a row by taking place 42-27 to France in Dublin.
Summer time victories over Georgia and Portugal performed second fiddle to the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, whereas November noticed defeats in opposition to New Zealand and South Africa bookend wins in opposition to Japan and Australia.
In 2026, Eire journey to face France and England, alongside residence Exams in opposition to Italy, Wales and Scotland. Here is all the pieces you want to know forward of Eire’s opening fixture in opposition to France in Paris…
Fixtures
- France – Stade de France – Thursday, February 5 – 8.10pm (GMT)
- Italy – Aviva Stadium – Saturday, February 14 – 2.10pm (GMT)
- England – Allianz Stadium, Twickenham – Saturday, February 21 – 2.10pm (GMT)
- Wales – Aviva Stadium – Friday, March 6 – 8.10pm (GMT)
- Scotland – Aviva Stadium – Saturday, March 14 – 2.10pm (GMT)
What’s modified?
Eire stated farewell to 3 stalwarts in 2025 as Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray and Cian Healy all retired.
The lads in inexperienced additionally surrendered the Six Nations title for the primary time since 2022, as France arrived to Dublin and produced a one-sided hammering en path to lifting the trophy.
Eire gained a Triple Crown in 2025, beating England, Scotland and Wales, however handed up any likelihood on the title with their no-show in opposition to Les Bleus.
The consistency, type and self-discipline of this Eire aspect has additionally undergone a sea change. Whereas 2023 noticed them performing as one of the best aspect on the earth, Eire now seem a way off the highest of the desk.
The distinction in Eire’s self-discipline is stark. Between the summer time of 2021 and the top of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Eire have been proven three yellow playing cards in 29 Exams – one of the best of any aspect on the earth. For the reason that 2023 World Cup, Eire have been proven 22 playing cards in 22 Exams – solely South Africa have been proven extra.
Eire have gone from essentially the most disciplined aspect in world rugby by way of playing cards to one of many worst, with the likes of Joe McCarthy a repeat offender
In a marked change of favor, Eire’s possession dropped to 50 per cent throughout their 5 Six Nations fixtures, with their territory at 54 per cent. They solely scored 17 tries – France scored 30, England 25 – ending with the fewest variety of scores of any aspect on turnover ball (only one strive).
Eire ranked second from backside for metres made and turnovers gained, down in fourth for carries made, offloads and line-breaks, lifeless final for defenders overwhelmed, deal with breaks and goal-kicking (66.7 per cent, with solely 59 per cent of tries transformed), and prime of the listing for what Opta stats time period ‘dangerous passes’ (61).
Eire went from a aspect who treasured the ball, to at least one intent on kicking to compete.
Along with their residence loss to France, Eire misplaced twice through the autumn: a 26-13 defeat to New Zealand in Chicago, and a 24-13 loss to South Africa in Dublin.
The opposite main change sees Andy Farrell return to the helm having missed the 2025 Six Nations resulting from his secondment as British and Irish Lions head coach.
Eire head coach Andy Farrell missed the 2025 Six Nations resulting from his seconded position as British and Irish Lions head coach
Farrell led the Lions to a 2-1 collection win over Australia in the summertime, with quite a lot of Irish gamers incomes Lions illustration.
What’s scorching?
An enormous plus for Eire is that head coach Farrell is now again in situ.
The 50-year-old has an undoubted galvanising impact on this Irish squad, runs their assault, has historical past as a number one defence coach within the sport, and is a large standard-setter.
Farrell’s return ought to show a giant constructive for Eire, albeit their 2026 schedule is a troublesome one
Eire additionally retain quite a lot of proficient gamers, lots of whom gained Check Lions expertise over the summer time on a victorious collection in opposition to the Wallabies.
The likes of Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Beirne, Tadhg Furlong, Caelan Doris and Josh van der Flier – and probably an ageing Bundee Aki – would nonetheless grace most sides in world rugby, albeit their pool of that calibre of participant seems to be dwindling.
In all, when accounting for late call-ups, 18 Irish gamers travelled on the Lions tour of Australia, whereas Eire coaches Simon Easterby (defence), Andrew Goodman (assault), Johnny Sexton (kicking) and John Fogarty (scrum) have been additionally concerned.
The IRFU and Farrell will dearly hope the expertise may also help the boys in inexperienced return to type this Six Nations.
Eire hooker Dan Sheehan stays among the finest gamers on the earth
What’s not?
At this second in time, rather a lot. In actual fact, it is exhausting to see this present aspect difficult for the 2026 title such are the problems, significantly with robust journeys to Paris and Twickenham on the agenda.
As detailed beforehand, Eire’s shift to an out-of-possession, kick-heavy sport type – according to Sam Prendergast coming into the aspect at fly-half – has not labored and their scrum has was a horror present.
Of their November defeat to South Africa, props Andrew Porter and Paddy McCarthy have been each sin-binned resulting from scrum points, with Eire repeatedly pinned again and below strain resulting from set-piece fallibilities.
Throughout the 2025 Six Nations, Eire completed with the worst scrum success, deal with success and variety of dominant tackles of any aspect. Additionally they had the worst maul of any aspect, making the least metres per sport, whereas solely Scotland misplaced extra lineouts.
France and England will goal Eire’s scrum and lineout exhausting in 2026, little doubt.
Eire’s scrum was dominated and decimated by South Africa in November, transport repeat penalties and two yellow playing cards
One other ingredient of negativity for Eire, whereas not new however more and more of concern, is that they’re an ageing squad in a number of areas and it’s starting to point out.
On the age of 33, wing James Lowe is taking part in the worst rugby of his profession, having beforehand been a key man for Eire. Scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park and centre Aki flip 34 and 36 respectively over the subsequent few months and lack the consistency of their peak.
Again-rows Jack Conan and Josh van der Flier are 33 and 34, tightheads Finlay Bealham and Furlong are 34 and 33, and centres Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose are 32 and 30, with all having racked up an enormous quantity of Check miles on the clock.
There seems to not be a conveyor belt of expertise able to step up and take over both at this level, or if there’s they haven’t but been handed the probabilities to take action.
Allied to the above, accidents are bordering on a disaster. Mack Hansen, Porter, McCarthy, Henshaw, Ryan Baird, Cormac Izuchukwu, Jimmy O’Brien and Calvin Nash have all been dominated out.
Mack Hansen (left) will miss the championship for Eire in a serious blow, whereas James Lowe (proper) has struggled for type
Full-back Hugo Keenan (hip) hasn’t performed for the reason that Lions tour, whereas Jamie Osborne (shoulder) hasn’t performed since November. Furlong, Tommy O’Brien and Craig Casey have all just lately limped off in video games too.
Lastly, the large choice situation and drawback space for Eire stays at No 10. Munster’s Jack Crowley guided Eire to the 2024 Six Nations title however clearly Farrell doesn’t like the way in which the 26-year-old runs his assault, as intervals of robust performances haven’t been rewarded with sustained beginning spells.
But, Farrell, Easterby and Sexton’s clear favorite in Prendergast stays deeply flawed – each defensively, and by way of operating an attacking construction.
Jack Crowley seems to not be fancied by Farrell whereas Sam Prendergast stays a flawed participant
Harry Byrne has are available from the chilly at Leinster to overshadow Prendergast – maybe he’ll change into Eire’s starter?
Harry Byrne has outshone Prendergast for Leinster this season and would seem in a robust place to begin for Eire
Championship document
Six Nations since 2000: Six-time winners (2009, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2023, 2024)
General: 16 titles outright (1894, 1896, 1899, 1935, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1974, 1982, 1985, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2023, 2024)
Eire’s 37-player squad for the 2026 Six Nations:
Forwards (20): Tom Ahern (Munster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Jack Boyle (Leinster), Thomas Clarkson (Leinster), Jack Conan (Leinster), Caelan Doris (Leinster, captain), Edwin Edogbo (Munster), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Ronan Kelleher (Leinster), Jeremy Loughman (Munster), Joe McCarthy (Leinster), Michael Milne (Munster), Tom O’Toole (Ulster), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), James Ryan (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Tom Stewart (Ulster), Nick Timoney (Ulster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster).
Backs (17): Bundee Aki (Connacht), Robert Baloucoune (Ulster), Harry Byrne (Leinster), Craig Casey (Munster), Jack Crowley (Munster), Nathan Doak (Ulster), Tom Farrell (Munster), Ciaran Frawley (Leinster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster), Hugo Keenan (Leinster), James Lowe (Leinster), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), Tommy O’Brien (Leinster), Jamie Osborne (Leinster), Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Jacob Stockdale (Ulster).
