Easterby steps into the head coaching role for the 2025 Championship and the Summer Tour (details to be announced) while Andy Farrell leads the British and Irish Lions on their tour of Australia.
The squad includes one uncapped player, Leinster prop Jack Boyle, who impressed as a Development Player during the Autumn Nations Series in November. Additionally, Easterby has brought in Leinster’s Hugh Cooney, Ulster back-rower James McNabney, and Connacht duo Ben Murphy and Cathal Forde as Development Players for the Six Nations. The four newcomers will join the team at the IRFU High-Performance Centre on Monday before departing for a pre-tournament training camp in Portugal.
Subject to their recovery from injuries sustained while playing for their provinces, James Lowe and Dan Sheehan are expected to rejoin the squad in Portugal the following week.
Looking ahead to the start of the Championship, Simon Easterby, said: “The Guinness Six Nations is one of the most keenly-contested competitions in the global calendar and there’s great excitement across the playing group and coaching team for this year’s tournament. Personally I’m hugely excited to work with a talented group and speaking to the players you can sense that they are up for the challenge.
“One of the highlights from the recent Autumn Nations Series was the emergence of a number of new internationals in Thomas Clarkson, Cormac Izuchukwu, Gus McCarthy and Sam Prendergast. We are also delighted to welcome back a number of players who were unavailable for the recent Autumn Nations Series and their return will further boost competition levels across the panel.
“While there is a good sense of continuity in selection, having those players back massively increases our competitiveness. It’s also a great opportunity for three young Development Players – James, Ben and Cathal – to continue their recent good run of form for their Provinces and continue their development.
“The thing about the Six Nations is that you have to hit the ground running and there’s no room for building or easing your way into competition. Every match counts and facing England at home in the first round sharpens everyone’s mind to what will be a big task ahead.”
Ireland Men’s Squad – Guinness Men’s Six Nations:
Forwards (21):
Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(23)
Finlay Bealham (Corinthians/Connacht)(46)
Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(56)
Jack Boyle (UCD/Leinster)*
Thomas Clarkson (Dublin University/Leinster)(2)
Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(46)
Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(captain)(47)
Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(78)
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(134)
Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster)(84)
Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(42)
Cormac Izuchukwu (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(1)
Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(37)
Gus McCarthy (UCD/Leinster)(2)
Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(16)
Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(110)
Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(70)
Cian Prendergast (UCD/Connacht)(4)
James Ryan (UCD/Leinster)(67)
Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(27)
Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(68)
Backs (15):
Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(60)
Caolin Blade (Galwegians/Connacht)(3)
Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(19)
Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(8)
Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(38)
Mack Hansen (Corinthians/Connacht)(25)
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(77)
Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(42)
James Lowe (Leinster)(36)
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(120)
Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(8)
Jimmy O’Brien (Naas/Leinster)(8)
Jamie Osborne (Naas/Leinster)(5)
Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster)(3)
Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)(63)
Development Players (4):
Hugh Cooney (Clontarf/Leinster)*
Cathal Forde (Corinthians/Connacht)*
James McNabney (Ballymena/Ulster)*
Ben Murphy (Clontarf/Connacht)*
* denotes uncapped player
