Bernard Jackman: Ireland question marks remain as Andy Farrell to be ‘more ruthless than ever’ for the Six Nations

Bernard Jackman believes that Ulster could well have 10 players in the Ireland squad as Andy Farrell prepares to introduce “new blood” into the squad.

The head coach has based his team around Leinster over the past few years and it has paid dividends with them enjoying plenty of success since 2021.

They won two Six Nations titles in 2023 and 2024, defeated the All Blacks in New Zealand and topped the World Rugby rankings ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

However, they have endured a gradual decline since the global tournament in France, with many of the stalwarts now the wrong side of 30.

No more Leinster bias

Farrell, who has been accused of Leinster bias, has kept faith with his ageing stars, but Jackman predicts that the upcoming Six Nations will mark a change in Ireland’s thinking.

“It’s probably more relevant than it has been under Farrell’s reign because the Irish team look like they need new blood or an injection of energy, or something a little bit different,” he told the RTE Rugby podcast.

“November wasn’t brilliant, the Six Nations last year wasn’t brilliant. It wasn’t catastrophic, but there is a sense that Farrell will be more ruthless in terms of his squad selection than he has ever been.

“He’s been so loyal. He’s been loyal to players that have performed for him but over the last 12 months there are question marks around whether it needs something different.

“The performances that fringe Irish-qualified players have put in over Christmas against their peers has to be worth more now than it ever was.”

Bernard Jackman: Why ‘concerning’ Leinster issue will leave Andy Farrell ‘worried’

Munster tended to dominate Irish rugby alongside Leinster, but Ulster appear to be the coming force and hammered the Thomond Park outfit 28-3 in their United Rugby Championship clash last weekend.

They have won six of their eight league matches this season and have a game in hand over second-place Glasgow Warriors, with a number of individuals impressing in 2025/26.

“Nathan Doak is much improved and playing with a confidence, but also able to play at a faster pace than maybe I thought suited him,” Jackman added.

“Stockdale is back in form and then Tom Stewart, so that’s a sign of a really good coaching group and a really good environment where players are playing their best rugby.

“The Bryn Ward’s are shiny new toys and they’re great, you need lots of them. Zac Ward has a big sevens profile and is newish to XVs to a certain extent, although he’s a little bit older.

“It’s the lads who you’ve watched consistently over the last three or four years, who are very good players but have just found another 10 per cent.”

Which Ulster players make the Six Nations?

The big question is whether that form will be rewarded, especially when Farrell has constantly looked towards Leinster, but Jackman believes those players will make the Six Nations squad.

“Nathan Doak is surely in the top three Irish scrum-halves, so he gets in there, he gets better for that experience,” he added.

“Stockdale gets back in the Irish starting line-up. If Hugo Keenan comes back, probably not at full-back but maybe on the wing.

“Tom Stewart has to be looking at getting back in the Irish squad maybe ahead of Gus McCarthy, who’s not getting much game time.

“When you add Izzy (Cormac Izuchukwu), (Iain) Henderson, (Jude) Postlethwaite, suddenly Ulster could maybe have eight, nine, 10 players in an Irish squad.”

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