Six Nations preview: Defending champions Ireland to fall short of lofty standards

Jared Wright

Ireland coach Andy Farrell and captain Peter O'Mahony pose with the Six Nations trophy.

Next in our set of previews ahead of the Six Nations, we examine the defending champions and 2023’s Grand Slam victors, Andy Farrell’s Ireland.

It’s an evolution rather than a revolution for Ireland despite another Rugby World Cup quarter-final exit last year, as many of the same players feature again for the men in green in the first Test tournament of 2024.

Farrell has made it clear that he does not believe in the World Cup cycles, and after a successful 18 months building up to France 2023, he will be looking to get Ireland back to their best once again after that heartbreaking defeat to New Zealand.

Last year

It was a Six Nations campaign to remember for Farrell and his charges, which kicked off with a resounding 34-10 victory over Wales in Cardiff. That was followed up by what many described as the tournament decider in Dublin as Ireland came up against fellow tournament favourites, France. Farrell’s charges ran in four tries to France’s one in a thrilling battle, securing the win that set the tone for the year.

After defeating Italy 34-20 and Scotland 22-7, Ireland had set up a Grand Slam decider against England in Dublin on Super Saturday. While England made a good account of themselves, Ireland rose to the occasion and completed the Slam with a 29-16 victory and celebrated the clean sweep in front of their home fans for the first time.

Their Six Nations success meant that Ireland was one of the favourites heading into the World Cup and the top-ranked side in the world ahead of the tournament. They defeated Italy and England again before the competition before edging past a strong Samoa side.

Ireland cruised past Romania and Tonga in their opening World Cup games and edged South Africa in a thriller before going on to top their pool with a victory over Scotland, which stretched their winning streak to 17 games.

Unfortunately, Ireland’s dream of winning the tournament was cruelly ended in the quarter-final, when they lost 28-24 to the All Blacks.

This year

Farrell has made his objectives for the upcoming Six Nations and the year ahead quite clear: growth and success.

He has entrusted largely the same playing squad again, except retired legends Johnny Sexton and Keith Earls and a few other stars missing out through injury. Defending their Six Nations crown will be at the top of the agenda, while adding layers and variation to their game will not be far off it.

Ireland will need to hit the ground sprinting if they are to defend their title as arguably their mightiest challenge awaits them in the opening game as they head to Marseille to tackle France. As was the case last year, this may just be the Championship decider in the tournament’s first round.

That epic clash is followed by back-to-back home games at the Aviva Stadium, hosting Italy and Wales before heading to Twickenham in early March. Farrell and his charges do have the opportunity to seal the Grand Slam in Ireland again this year as they complete their Six Nations schedule at home against Scotland.

Key players

Peter O’Mahony will captain Ireland throughout the Six Nations, taking on the responsibility following Sexton’s retirement. The 34-year-old is the perfect fit to skipper the side as he continues to deliver world-class performances for club and country. It is not just his leadership abilities that make him a key player for Ireland but his exceptional lineout work, skills with ball in hand, abrasive defence and breakdown brilliance.

Scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park has been the heartbeat of the Ireland attack in recent years, and expect no different in 2024. He is a complete number nine with excellent running and a sharp, accurate, tactical kicking game.

Caelan Doris seems to be getting better and better, somehow, and heads into the tournament in incredible form. The 25-year-old back-rower was another tipped to take the Test captaincy, but will not have the added responsibility allowing him to focus solely on his game. He is a workaholic, hitting countless rucks and racking up impressive tackle and carry stats in every match. He has a knack for scoring tries from close range and is bound to be a real asset throughout the competition.

Players to watch

It’s a crucial Six Nations campaign for Jack Crowley as he looks to cement his role as Ireland’s first choice number 10 going forward. He has tough competition from Ciaran Frawley and Harry Byrne but has already proven his pedigree for Munster and now has the chance to do it for Ireland. Sexton leaves an enormous void to fill and the new year provides the suitors looking to replace him with the perfect opportunity to state their case. Munster’s Crowley is the leading candidate and will be an exciting prospect if he makes the most of his chance, and to date, he has only risen to that kind of challenge.

Dan Sheehan is another superstar in the Ireland squad, and 2024 looks set to be the year the hooker takes another step up. A gifted ball carrier and equally impressive on defence, Sheehan has been known to wobble in the set-pieces at times, and if he is able to sharpen up that area of his game, there is no doubt that he is one of the finest hookers in the world.

Farrell has several stars in his pack, like Tadhg Beirne, Josh van der Flier, Tadhg Furlong, Andrew Porter and now Joe McCarthy will be out to add his name to that list this year. The Leinster lock has already been capped by Ireland but has yet to nail down a starting role, but judging by his recent form in blue, that could change this Championship. He fits the big tighthead lock role that Ireland has been desperate for and now needs to produce that kind of performance in the big games.

Prospects

As already mentioned above, Ireland’s objective will be to win the Six Nations and possibly claim back-to-back Grand Slams. However, they have a tough start to the tournament, facing France away from home. Defeat Les Bleus and the Championship looks set to be retained by Farrell and company, but that opening game will not be easy as France will be fired up to produce a performance that will please an already disappointed public from the World Cup. Similarly, for Ireland, anything less than the title will be viewed as a failure, as are the lofty standards set. However, without the services of captain and chief playmaker Sexton, it does seem a bridge too far right now, as they will need time to adjust. Second.

Fixtures

Friday, February 2 v France (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille)
Sunday, February 11 v Italy (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)
Saturday, February 24 v Wales (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)
Saturday, March 9 v England (Twickenham Stadium, London)
Saturday, March 16 v Scotland (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)

READ MORE: Six Nations preview: France to bounce back from Rugby World Cup hurt with title success

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