Andy Farrell Names Ireland's Six Nations Squad: Key Selections & Absences

Hello and welcome to live coverage of Ireland’s Six Nations squad announcement, which is expected about 3pm. Mack Hansen won’t be in it as he was ruled out for the season through injury. Paddy McCarthy will also be out, while there are several injury doubts but Andy Farrell’s squad announcement should give a bit more clarity. Ireland’s first game is against France on the unusual day of Thursday, February 5th at the Stade de France in Paris. France have left out Damian Penaud, Grégory Alldritt and Gaël Fickou as head coach Fabien Galthié named a squad full of surprises for this year’s Six Nations. The winger Penaud has scored a record 40 tries for his country and was named European Rugby Player of the Year for his outstanding club season last year for Bordeaux Bègles, as they won the Champions Cup. In his absence, the coaching staff could turn to Pau’s rising star Théo Attissogbe, Toulon’s Gaël Dréan, or even Pau’s Aaron Grandidier. Penaud has also scored in his last three Six Nations games against Ireland. Johnny Watterson writes about the chances of Harry Byrne, who could come into contention for outhalf after impressive form for Leinster. "Having become used to the Prendergast duel with Jack Crowley, picking Byrne would be a disrupting selection, perfect for what the Irish squad needs, which is another sharp pair of elbows contending for the 10 shirt." [ Picking Harry Byrne would be a disrupting selection, perfect for what Ireland needsOpens in new window ] Here’s a squad update from one of Ireland’s Six Nations rivals Italy: Italy without injured Capuozzo and Negri in Six Nations squad Wing Ange Capuozzo and flanker Sebastian Negri were two of ​the big names left out through injury when Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada on Wednesday named his 33-man squad ‍for the 2026 Six Nations Championship, with two uncapped players called up. Italy are also without outhalf Tommaso Allan and ‍backrow Ross Vintcent for the start of the tournament, with 24-year-old flanker Samuele Locatelli and centre Damiano Mazza the uncapped pair included. “At two years out from a World Cup, a little less now, having the ‌chance to bring in some other players, new players, is also an opportunity,” Quesada said. “So that’s how we look ⁠at it. We never focus too much on what we’re missing. We look instead ‌at ​everything ‍we have and everything we can control.” Fullback Matt Gallagher, last included in the 2025 Six Nations, has been recalled, with wing Edoardo Todaro also selected after making his debut from the bench in Italy’s last match ⁠against Chile in November. Flanker Michele Lamaro will captain the side for the fourth Six Nations ⁠in a row, and is set to ⁠make his 50th appearance when Italy host Scotland, who they have beaten in the last two editions, in Rome on February 7th. Italy head ‍to Dublin a week later to take on Ireland and face champions France in Lille on February 22nd. England arrive at the Stadio Olimpico on March 7th and one week later Italy wrap up their campaign against Wales in Cardiff. “There’s a lot of excitement, a lot of enthusiasm in these days before we go to play in the tournament with the greatest history and tradition in world rugby, ‌which has always given ‌us so much adrenaline,” Quesada added. Italy squad: Forwards: Lorenzo Cannone, Niccolo Cannone, Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Pablo Dimicheff, Riccardo Favretto, Simone Ferrari, Danilo Fischetti, Muhamed Hasa, Alessandro Izekor, Michele ‌Lamaro (captain), Samuele Locatelli, Giacomo Nicotera, David Odiase, Marco Riccioni, Federico Ruzza, Mirco Spagnolo, Andrea Zambonin, Manuel Zuliani