Connacht's Jansen Backed to Fill Number 8 Gap for Ireland
- On Wednesday, head coach Andy Farrell announced a 36-man Ireland squad for the Nations Championship, with hooker Dan Sheehan captaining the side in place of the injured Caelan Doris. Uncapped players James McNabney and Jamie Benson were included in the group.
- The squad selection reflects an ongoing injury crisis, with Doris, Jack Conan, and Jack Crowley unavailable. Farrell has relied on squad depth to fill significant gaps across forward and backline positions for next month's campaign.
- Returning from injury lay-offs, Ryan Baird, Andrew Porter, and Mack Hansen provide stability for upcoming fixtures against Argentina, Fiji, and South Africa. The 28-year-old Hansen required foot surgery but has since returned to action with Connacht.
- Ireland faces a challenging slate of games in Dublin next month, culminating in a Nations Championship finals weekend at Twickenham. These high-stakes fixtures will test Farrell's squad depth as he prepares for the broader competitive calendar.
- Every selection remains focused on the Rugby World Cup, with Farrell using this testing period to evaluate talent before the tournament. Twenty of this squad went to the World Cup three years ago, demonstrating continuity despite injury disruptions.
18 Articles
18 Articles
Winners and losers from Ireland's November squad announcement
Andy Farrell has raised one or two eyebrows with his squad selection for Ireland’s November Nations Championship Tests. Just over a year out from the Rugby World Cup, every selection has to have one eye on Australia and make sure they can get over the quarter-final hoodoo. As ever, some names have had to be […]
Hansen back in Ireland squad for Nations Championship
The 28-year-old Australia-born wing is one of three experienced players returning after lengthy lay-offs, with back-five forward Ryan Baird and loose-head prop Andrew Porter also included in a 36-strong group announced by coach Andy Farrell on Wednesday. The trio last played for Ireland in the concluding game of last year's November series against South Africa at Dublin's Lansdowne Road. Hansen required foot surgery, ruling him out for the rest …
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