Tadhg Furlong in Ireland squad after lengthy lay-off

Colin Newboult
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Ireland's Tadhg Furlong is tackled by Scotland's Hamish Watson during the Guinness Six Nations match at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin.

Tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong has been named in Ireland’s 36-man Six Nations squad, despite the British and Irish Lion not featuring for the past 11 months.

Furlong has struggled with back and calf injuries which has kept him out for the best part of the last year.

Leinster were hopeful that he would be available for their PRO14 clash against Munster but he was not deemed fit enough to take part. However, the prop has recovered to take his place in the national squad.

There is one notable absentee, though, after star back three player Jacob Stockdale was ruled out, with head coach Andy Farrell stating he “will not be available to us.”

Jonathan Sexton will captain the squad for a second Championship campaign and there are two uncapped players named – Munster’s Craig Casey and Ulster’s Tom O’Toole.

O’Toole was named in the Ireland squad at the start of the 2020 Championship while Casey, who won a Grand Slam with the Ireland U20s in 2019, trained with the squad last October.

Ireland have just two fixtures at the Aviva Stadium in the 2021 Six Nations hosting France in Round 2 and England on the final weekend of the Championship.

In Round 1 Ireland will take on Wayne Pivac’s Wales at the Principality Stadium. Ireland’s first two fixtures of the 2021 Championship, against Wales and France, will both take place on Sunday afternoons.

Ireland’s third round fixture is at the Stadio Olimpico against Italy and in the penultimate round Ireland face Scotland.

Farrell said: “Since the Autumn international window the club season has had a good few disruptions and the cancellation of the European fixtures means there have been less opportunities for players to show form or to return from injury and get some minutes under their belts.

“Tadhg (Furlong) hasn’t played in quite a while but he is ready to join the group. Unfortunately Jacob (Stockdale) will not be available to us.”

Ireland’s 36-man Six Nations squad

Forwards Tadhg Beirne, Will Connors, Caelan Doris, Ultan Dillane, Tadhg Furlong, Cian Healy, Dave Heffernan, Iain Henderson, Rob Herring, Ronan Kelleher, Dave Kilcoyne, Peter O’Mahony, Tom O’Toole, Andrew Porter, Quinn Roux, Rhys Ruddock, James Ryan, CJ Stander, Josh van der Flier

Backs Bundee Aki, Billy Burns, Ross Byrne, Craig Casey, Andrew Conway, Shane Daly, Keith Earls, Chris Farrell, Jamison Gibson Park, Robbie Henshaw, Hugo Keenan, Jordan Larmour, James Lowe, Stuart McCloskey, Conor Murray, Garry Ringrose, Jonathan Sexton

 

Ireland Tadhg Furlong

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