Simon Easterby Names Ireland Team to Face England in Six Nations Opener

Interim Head Coach Simon Easterby has revealed the Ireland Men’s Match Day Squad, sponsored by Vodafone, for the highly anticipated Guinness Six Nations 2025 opener against England. The match kicks off at 4:45pm on Saturday at a sold-out Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

Caelan Doris to Lead Ireland Against England

Ireland’s 2025 Six Nations campaign begins under the leadership of Caelan Doris, who will captain the team at number eight.

In the backline, Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen, and James Lowe form a dynamic back three. Bundee Aki pairs up with Garry Ringrose in midfield, while Jamison Gibson-Park starts at scrum-half alongside Sam Prendergast, who makes his Six Nations debut at out-half.

Ireland’s Forward Pack

The front row features Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, and Finlay Bealham, with James Ryan and Tadhg Beirne locking down the second row. In the back row, Ryan Baird is named at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier at openside, and skipper Caelan Doris at number eight.

Strong Bench Options for Easterby

Easterby has called upon experienced players for the bench, including the returning Dan Sheehan, Cian Healy, and Iain Henderson. Jack Conan and Thomas Clarkson complete the forward replacements, while Conor Murray, Jack Crowley, and Robbie Henshaw are set to provide cover in the backs.

Joe McCarthy is unavailable for selection due to injury.

Easterby: “We’re Ready for the Challenge”

Speaking ahead of the opener, Easterby praised the team’s preparation during their training camp in Quinta do Lago:

“We’ve had a great week of training, and the squad’s effort has been exceptional. The competition for places was fierce, and credit to those who missed out—they played a key role in helping us prepare.”

He acknowledged the threat posed by the opposition:

“England have a talented squad, and we know we’ll need to be at our best to deliver a winning performance. The energy from a sold-out crowd will be electric, and the players are eager to represent the Irish public with pride.”

Where to Watch the Match

Fans can catch the action live on Virgin Media One in the Republic of Ireland and ITV in the United Kingdom, with live radio coverage on RTÉ Radio 1.

Ireland Squad to Face England

Starting XV:
• 15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster) – 42 caps
• 14. Mack Hansen (Corinthians/Connacht) – 25 caps
• 13. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster) – 63 caps
• 12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht) – 60 caps
• 11. James Lowe (Leinster) – 36 caps
• 10. Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster) – 3 caps
• 9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster) – 38 caps
• 1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster) – 70 caps
• 2. Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster) – 37 caps
• 3. Finlay Bealham (Corinthians/Connacht) – 46 caps
• 4. James Ryan (UCD/Leinster) – 67 caps
• 5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster) – 56 caps
• 6. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster) – 23 caps
• 7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster) – 68 caps
• 8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster) [captain] – 47 caps

Replacements:
• 16. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster) – 27 caps
• 17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) – 134 caps
• 18. Thomas Clarkson (Dublin University/Leinster) – 2 caps
• 19. Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster) – 84 caps
• 20. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster) – 46 caps
• 21. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) – 120 caps
• 22. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster) – 19 caps
• 23. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster) – 77 caps

Stay tuned as Ireland look to kick off their Six Nations campaign with a win against a formidable England side!

Mack Hansen Issues Apology Following Three-Match Ban

Mack Hansen has apologised following the sanctions imposed by an Independent Disciplinary Panel after his critical comments about match officiating in Connacht’s recent game against Leinster. The Connacht and Ireland star received a six-week ban, with three weeks suspended, and will miss three upcoming fixtures.

In a heartfelt statement, Hansen acknowledged his error and expressed regret for his remarks:

“People know I always wear my heart on my sleeve. However, after the Leinster game, on this occasion, I let my emotions get the better of me.

Upon reflection, my comments to the media were ill-advised, and fell far short of the standards I expect of myself, and what the sport expects of its players.

I want to offer an apology to the match officials for any distress my comments may have caused. Our games are built on mutual respect, and I didn’t show that after the game.

I also want to apologise to the URC, and I fully accept the findings of the independent disciplinary panel.

I love Connacht, and I love rugby. Moving forward, I will channel all my energy and passion into representing my province and country to the absolute best of my ability – both on and off the field.”

The disciplinary panel, which considered Hansen’s remorse and apology, also imposed conditions such as completing an officiating education course and issuing a formal apology to referee Chris Busby. Connacht Rugby has been tasked with running media conduct training for players.

Hansen will miss Connacht’s upcoming games against Lyon, Cardiff, and Glasgow. The province has declined to comment further.

The incident has highlighted the importance of upholding rugby’s values of respect and professionalism, a sentiment Hansen’s apology appears to endorse as he looks to move forward from this controversy.

Ronan O’Gara Acknowledges La Rochelle’s Struggles Ahead of Leinster Showdown

Ronan O’Gara has admitted that his La Rochelle side is “suffering” and “in pain” as they prepare to face Leinster in the Champions Cup this weekend. Despite achieving their 100th successive sell-out at the Stade Marcel-Deflandre, La Rochelle’s 22-19 win against a second-string Toulouse side last Saturday highlighted deeper issues within the team.

The match, decided by a last-minute penalty from Antoine Hastoy, left little room for celebration. O’Gara conceded the performance could serve as a “wake-up call” with the team’s European ambitions on the line over the next fortnight.

Leinster arrive with momentum, aiming for back-to-back wins against their French rivals. They decisively ended La Rochelle’s European title hopes with a 40-13 victory in last season’s quarter-finals. Speaking at a post-match press conference, O’Gara offered a candid reflection on his team’s struggles.

“We Are Suffering”

“We will appreciate the four points,” O’Gara said of the Toulouse match. “But right now, it’s… it’s… like a defeat! It’s hard, right now. We need to change something. If I knew what, I would have done it already. We are suffering, our game is suffering.”

He continued, “We are not taking pleasure. But it can change. Everyone is negative, but it happens because success creates a lot of problems. And success is really in the past. We must stop talking about success. Real competitors stay united and work harder. That’s my goal.”

O’Gara took responsibility for turning the team’s fortunes around: “I’m the leader. And we will start that on Monday, Tuesday. Despite everything, we are in the top six in the standings. When we are able to string together a few phases, we will be interesting. It’s up to us to turn the wheel.”

Facing Leinster: A Critical Test

Looking ahead to Leinster, O’Gara acknowledged the urgency of improvement. “Leinster arrives on Sunday. Maybe this is the wake-up call we need. I’m not going to lose confidence in my players. It’s a difficult time, but in English, we say ‘when it rains, it pours.’ That’s how it is right now.”

Reflecting on his own mindset, O’Gara added: “Since my time at Crusaders, I see the glass half full now. But, at the moment, everyone, and me too in recent months, has seen the team half empty.”

A Demand for More

When asked whether his message was still resonating with his players, O’Gara admitted: “No, I think maybe it wasn’t a good message… The players and I have to give more. That’s the goal for this week. Maybe it won’t work, in four weeks or in four months. But the goal in life is to try.”

A key moment in Saturday’s win came after Valentin Delpy’s late dropped goal seemed to secure a draw for Toulouse. O’Gara praised his team’s resolve in the final stages. “What’s good is that when it’s super hard, they have the ability to hold the ball, to advance, to win a penalty,” he said. “Antoine was in pain; he continued to work and received the biggest reward with a difficult penalty in injury time.”

Fitness Questions and a Negative Atmosphere

O’Gara dismissed claims that the team’s fitness was an issue, saying: “No, I don’t think so, because we are much more ‘fit’ than last year. It’s another negative rumour that, like the others, is everywhere in La Rochelle at the moment. It’s normal—it’s a difficult period.”

He emphasised the need to move on from past success: “We need to work hard, to rework and to forget the past. We need to find a recipe to go for Le Bouclier (the Top 14 title), which the club has never done. But we need to change the atmosphere. The atmosphere is negative everywhere.”

A Determined Outlook

Despite the challenges, O’Gara remains confident in his team’s ability to turn things around. “I remember one Sunday morning when I was last in the championship. If La Rochelle is last, that bothers me, but we are… I’m not going to avoid the tough questions because we’re in a tough situation. But we are alive, life is beautiful, we will react.”

As Leinster loom large, the pressure is on for La Rochelle to rediscover their form and prove their mettle in Europe once again.