Ireland

Best ever finish: 1st (2009, 2014, 2015,2018, 2023, 2024)

Grand slams won: 3 (2009, 2018, 2023)

Last year's finish: 3rd

Head coach: Andy Farrell

Captain: Caelan Doris

Young player to watch: Sam Prendergast

Expectation: Challenge for the title

Prediction: 5th

This Ireland team finds itself in a fascinating position. Andy Farrell has a lot of work to do with this injury-hit group if they are going to compete at the top of the table this year. They are dealing with over a dozen injuries across the side and will have to rely on some very inexperienced players. 

The front row situation really puts England's into perspective. Hooker is still strong with Sheehan and Kelleher, who are both Lions, providing real quality at that position. Tighthead prop is okay in terms of depth but there are doubts about Furlong's availability for the first game in Paris. Loosehead prop, on the other hand, is a very tricky situation for Ireland. Andrew Porter, Paddy McCarthy and Jack Boyle are all out of the tournament which leaves the team with the most inexperienced group in the tournament. Michael Milne will likely start after having just 2 caps, which were against Portugal and Georgia in the summer.

The back 5 is still the strength of the team with Edogbo bringing some exciting youth to the group. Beirne, Van der Flier and Doris could combine to make a world-class back row with Conan bringing depth off the bench. McCarthy and Ryan are also a great duo as locks which should give Ireland a good base from which to play, despite having an inexperienced front row.

Gibson-Park will start at scrum-half, but who will be on the receiving end of his passes? The battle has been between Prendergast and Crowley but Harry Byrne has now put himself back into the competition. Prendergast is clearly the long-term favourite for the coaching staff but Crowley and Byrne have both been in better form this season. Byrne, in particular, has stood out as a result of out-playing Prendergast at the same province (Leinster).

The midfield is also beleaguered by injuries and a suspension. Henshaw is injured whilst Aki has been suspended for 4 weeks due to his behaviour towards a referee whilst playing for Connacht. Aki's form has been dropping anyway, and he is 35-years-old, so Ireland needed to find a replacement anyway. McCloskey and Farrell are tradition 12 options whilst Postlethwaite can also fill in there. Jamie Osborne and Ciaran Frawley have also shown the ability to play inside centre. Throw in the fact that Jack Crowley has also filled in at 12 during games for Ireland, and Andy Farrell has 6 options for one position.

The injury issues don't stop when you get to the back 3. Those who are injured are: Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen, Calvin Nash, Jimmy O'Brien and Jordan Larmour. Keenan and Hansen have both been consistent starters for Ireland which leaves 2 spots open. Fullback could be filled by either Frawey or Jamie Osborne whilst there are several players that could step in on the wing. O'Brien is yet to really impress in an Ireland jersey but needs a run whilst Ulster's wingers, Stockdale and Baloucoune, give Ireland the option of some X-factor athletes that the side is often accused of lacking. 

This could be a very difficult tournament for Ireland, but this could also be a very useful set of games that sets the team up well for the next World Cup. One thing that has cost Ireland in the past is a lack of experienced depth that can be trusted in the final 20-minutes of a knockout match. Being forced to give big-game experience to the likes of Michael Milne could be a huge benefit when crunch time comes.

Squad

LHP: Billy Bohan, Michael Milne, Jeremy Loughman

Hooker: Ronan Kelleher, Dan Sheehan, Tom Stewart

THP: Finlay Bealham, Tom Clarkson, Tadhg Furlong, Tom O'Toole

Lock: Tadhg Beirne, Edwin Edogbo, Cormac Izuchukwu, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan

Back row: Jack Conan, Caelan Doris(C), Cian Prendergast, Nick Timoney, Josh van der Flier

Scrum-half: Craig Casey, Nathan Doak, Jamison Gibson-Park

Fly-half: Harry Byrne, Jack Crowley, Ciaran Frawley, Sam Prendergast

Centre: Tom Farrell, Stuart McCloskey, Jude Postlethwaite, Gary Ringrose

Back 3: Robert Baloucoune, James Lowe, Tommy O'Brien, Jamie Osborne, Jacob Stockdale

Potential 23-man squad

1.Michael Milne 2.Dan Sheehan 3.Tadhg Furling 4.Joe McCarthy 5.James Ryan

6.Tadhg Beirne 7.Josh van der Flier 8.Caelan Doris 9.Jamison Gibson-Park 10.Sam Prendergast

11.James Lowe 12.Stuart McCloskey 13.Gary Ringrose 14.Tommy O'Brien 15.Jamie Osborne

Bench

16.Ronan Kelleher 17.Jeremy Loughman 18.Finlay Bealham 19.Edwin Odogbo 

20.Cian Prendergast 21.Jack Conan 22.Jack Crowley 23.Ciaran Frawley