Best Ireland team to face France in Six Nations opener, after injury updates

Three changes to the starting XV, and three more on the bench.

Following the retirement of Johnny Sexton and brutal injury news for Dave Kilcoyne, Jimmy O'Brien and Mack Hansen, the Ireland team for their Six Nations opener will have certain changes. Kilcoyne and Hansen are both long-term absentees after shoulder injuries. Keith Earls and Andrew Conway - two men that have ably worn the 14 jersey in the past - have also hung up their playing boots. Leinster then added to the injury pile-on with news that O'Brien is out for 'a number of months' with a neck injury. There was no fresh update on Jamie Osborne, who has not played since December 2. Looking at the Ireland XV that started the gutting World Cup quarter final loss to New Zealand, Peter O'Mahony, Tadhg Furlong and James Lowe [yet to feature] have combined for 164 minutes with their provinces. Furlong was dealing with the bereavement of his father, O'Mahony lasted 40 minutes against Stormers, back in November, and Lowe has not played for Leinster. Tadhg Beirne [480 minutes], Iain Henderson [453], Hugo Keenan [397] and Dan Sheehan [396] have all logged decent game time. The other game managed quarter final starter has been Josh van der Flier - five appearances, including two as sub, for 284 minutes. Jack Crowley is the presumptive starting 10 for the opener against France, on February 2, especially after Ross Byrne suffered an arm injury. Byrne has only managed 117 post-World Cup minutes [one start, two off the bench] while Crowley has stacked up 563 [seven starts, one sub outing] for Munster. We are into back-to-back Champions Cup weeks, so there will hopefully be updates on O'Mahony and Lowe. At present, they are the biggest fitness concerns, as is Leinster lock James Ryan. He was supposed to feature against Ulster but was a late withdrawal from that New Years Day clash. [caption id="attachment_293594" align="aligncenter" width="640"]

Garry Ringrose - the low-key captaincy candidate in the Ireland team. (Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile)[/caption]

The case for captain Garry Ringrose

Ahead of the festive inter-pros, we listed four players as the leading candidates for next Ireland captain. Peter O'Mahony the frontrunner, Garry Ringrose and James Ryan as decent shouts and Caelan Doris as the dark-horse. The case for Doris has strengthened after O'Mahony did not return over the festive period. Former Ireland hooker Bernard Jackman has suggested he may be a good outside shout for the honour. Doris captained Leinster in their recent loss to Ulster but, last month, told us:

"It would be a massive honour, although it's not something I've put a whole lot of thought into at this stage. It isn't one of my goals, for this season anyway."

The more we have mulled this one over, the more Garry Ringrose is bubbling to the surface. The 28-year-old has been captaining Leinster - sharing the duties - for the past three years and has a good working relationship with most match officials. Ireland could still nominate a pack leader - say Doris, Ryan or Tadhg Furlong - yet have Ringrose there for the big tête-à-tête moments. Andy Farrell has used Ringrose in 29 of his 45 games as Ireland head coach, starting him 27 times. He tends to fit Bundee Aki, Robbie Henshaw and Stuart McCloskey in with Ringrose - the defensive tempo setter for his side.

APPEARANCES UNDER ANDY FARRELL

Peter O'Mahony - 33 (22 starts, 11 sub)
James Ryan - 31 (29 starts, two sub)
Caelan Doris - 29 (28 starts, one sub)
Garry Ringrose - 29 (27 starts, two sub)

Looking at that tantalising opener against France, in just over three weeks, we are hoping that James Ryan and James Lowe both see competitive minutes before the Six Nations squad is named [around January 21st or 22nd]. Our big call sees Ryan Baird start at blindside. Andy Farrell may disagree, especially if Peter O'Mahony gets Champions Cup minutes, but it could be time to flip that script and set Baird a big challenge to make the 6 jersey his own for the championship. Baird will have to be a lineout option, though, as O'Mahony is supreme with that under-taking.

OUR IRELAND TEAM (vs. FRANCE)

15. Hugo Keenan 14. Calvin Nash 13. Garry Ringrose (captain) 12. Bundee Aki 11. James Lowe 10. Jack Crowley 9. Jamison Gibson-Park 1. Andrew Porter 2.Dan Sheehan 3. Tadhg Furlong 4. Tadhg Beirne 5. James Ryan 6. Ryan Baird 7. Josh van der Flier 8. Caelan Doris Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Joe McCarthy, Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray, Ciarán Frawley, Robbie Henshaw.

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Could Simon Zebo slot back into this Ireland team? (Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile)[/caption]

Room for a Simon Zebo return?

This one is quickly shifting from far-fetched to realistic. Zebo is now 33 years old and has only played three times for Munster this season but each of his outings has been at fullback. Zebo could cover left wing and fullback. If Farrell brought him back in from the international cold, he could even move Hugo Keenan to the right or left wing. Zebo last featured for an Ireland team in 2017 but has looked decent in his last two outings. Last year, the Cork native told RTE, "It’s very different now to what it was under Joe Schmidt. There are a lot of players expressing themselves more so and they probably have a little bit more freedom."

IRELAND BACK THREE OPTIONS

Hugo Keenan (Leinster)
Calvin Nash (Munster)
Ciarán Frawley (Leinster)
Jacob Stockdale (Ulster)
Mike Lowry (Ulster)
Diarmuid Kilgallen (Connacht)
Rob Baloucoune (Ulster)
Jordan Larmour (Leinster)
Shane Daly (Munster)
Rob Russell (Leinster)
Will Addison (Ulster)
Simon Zebo (Munster)

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