Mike Prendergast will depart Munster at the end of the current campaign after 4 years as a senior coach in the set up. He has looked after the Munster backs and had got them playing an expansive brand of rugby that was rewarded with a trophy at the end of his 1^st full season back involved with Munster when Munster won the URC under Graham Rowntree in 2023 defeating the Stormers in the Final.

He continued in the role of senior coach  under Ian Costello while Munster went through the process of bringing in a replacement for Rowntree. That coaching team led by Costello led Munster until the start of this season when Clayton Mc Millian took over as Head Coach.

It is another state of flux for a Munster coaching team who have had many different changes in the coaching department be that assistants or head coaches over the past number of years.

Prendergast is a very popular member of the coaching team and will be missed. It will open the door for another person to come in and put their stamp on the Munster side. Men like Mossy Lawlor will be linked straight away to move into that role and this move of promoting Lawlor would be a move of consistency and would not break up the coaching team.

You can be sure Clayton Mc Millian will have an idea as to who he may want to be brought into his staff, promote from within or bring in someone from outside the set up.

From a Munster perspective it another unwelcome change, yes it is all part of it all coaches move on etc but Munster just haven’t had a full cycle of 3 or 4 years where there hasn’t been some sort of change within the coaches box.

Plenty of names will be linked with the job, Noel Mc Namara, Nigel Carolan spring to mind straight away who are with Bordeaux Begles and Glasgow Warriors respectively at the moment.

Noel Mc Namara has only recently signed a contract extension to stay as part of Yannick Bru’s coaching ticket so that might rule out a move to bring the Clare man back into the Irish system but you never know.

Nigel Carolan is a key member of the Glasgow Warriors management team under Franco Smith but a bit like Noel Mc Namara the lure of a chance to coach back in Ireland with Munster might swing it in the IRFU’s and Munster’s favour when it comes to bargaining tools if they want the opportunity to chat with either man to sound them out in terms of interest.

Whoever the IRFU and Munster decide on it will be a big decision. Yet again Munster are on the look out for a new coach but on this occasion the options seem to be clear. Only time will tell of course…..

Ireland defeated England with a record score line of 42-21. Did the majority see that score line let alone performance coming outside of the Irish camp, I very much doubt it.

Given the manner of the French defeat even though Ireland could have been within 7 pts of France mid-way through the 2^nd half before France pulled away and made sure they won the game on opening night.

Ireland went to Twickenham looking for a performance after the tight win over Italy in Dublin. England started out by beating Wales comfortably and then the hoped for Grand Slam that numerous pundits said would come this year under Borthwick came a cropper with the defeat to Scotland.

England themselves were in search of a complete performance after the win over Wales and the loss in Murrayfield. They made slight alterations with Henry Pollock coming at number 8 with Ben Earl moving into the 7 jersey. Ollie Lawrence came in at 13 with Tommy Freeman moving onto the right wing in place of Tom Roebuck.

England had picked players in form at club level but they just could not live with Ireland from the start and were playing catch up. Steve Borthwick has a serious job on his hands trying to motivate his charges with a trip to Rome to come before facing France on the final weekend.

As I mention, England were tipped by many to not alone win the Championship but also complete the Grand Slam unfortunately neither wish will come through in 2026.

They will have a tough end to the campaign with a trip to Rome on the horizon before ending the Championship against France who are still on course for another Grand Slam after a win over Italy in Lille yesterday.

You can sure, England won’t get it easy in the final two rounds as they search for answers as well as victories to end the Championship. The post mortem will start afterwards but yet again England’s over confidence has come back to bite them in spectacular fashion.

They were expected to challenge France but instead as of now they could be fighting with Wales for the wooden spoon if they lose either of the last 2 games, unthinkable a few weeks ago but that is the reality facing England.

Ireland for their part had told us they were not too far from clicking and they did so in spectacular fashion on Saturday afternoon putting England to the sword by beating them by a record margin. This is one of the best performances since the Championship was last won by Ireland in 2024.

So many players who had several questions asked of them in the build-up answered them in dramatic fashion.

The questions that surround the Ireland 10 shirt continue but Jack Crowley certainly put in a strong showing in both defence and attack as he kept them ticking over and putting in his tackles when asked to do so.

Stuart Mc Closkey showed his quality as did Robert Baloucoune, both men picked on form having strong seasons for Ulster in the URC and the Challenge Cup. The whole 23 put their best foot forward and showed quality in the set piece and in defence. The defence on show was right from the top drawer and helped Ireland weather a few storms when England threatened to burst through. The discipline that has been lacking at key moments over the past year certainly improved over the 80 minutes on Saturday.

The win and manner of it will certainly have boosted the confidence of the squad who now go into the down week in the 6 Nations in good form. Some squad members will be released to play in the URC next weekend and get valuable game time before they return to the Irish camp to start preparations for Wales at home on Friday March 6^th.

Here is my 23 to face Wales

15 Jamie Osbourne

14 Robert Baloucoune

13 Tom Farrell

12 Stuart Mc Closkey

11 Tommy O Brien

10 Jack Crowley

9 Jamison Gibson Park

8 Bryn Ward

7 Nick Timoney

6 Cian Prendergast

5 James Ryan

4 Edwin Edogbo

3 Thomas Clarkson

2 Ronan Kelleher

1 Michael Milne

–

16 Dan Sheehan

17 Jeremey Loughman

18 Finlay Bealham

19 Cormac Izuchkwu

20 Jack Conan

21 Nathan Doak

22 Ciaran Frawley

23 James Lowe

Ireland gained a victory today after a very tight contest against Italy winning 20-13. Had today’s game been in Rome Italy may have manged to nick the win even though they will rue a few late mistakes that saw them lose possession and Ireland holding on for dear life.

James Lowe can be thanked for his late intervention that saw him intercept a pass and run clear and get close to the Italy “22” before being hauled down. That moment secured the tightest win for Ireland over the 26 years of Italy’s time in the Championship.

Ireland will know they mixed the good with bad and at times it became unacceptable from a team that we continue to hear hold themselves to the highest possible standard. Let’s hope this squad and its coaching staff come back down to earth and start dealing in reality rather than living on past glories.

There are still several issues like team selection and the game plan is still a major problem as is team discipline. All these problems will persist until they are addressed in a timely fashion. Changes will be likely next week as Garry Ringrose got a bang that could see him ruled out while others like Michael Milne will feel they have a chance to get back in after the pressure at the scrum and the line out. Tadgh Beirne and Edwin Edgbo could swap straight in for Joe Mc Carthy and James Ryan.

Cormac Izuchuwu could keep his place in the 6 shirt after a strong showing in the loose and at line out time in particular from a defensive point of view. Ireland have plenty to look into before heading to London next week.

The overall game plan still doesn’t show much improvement. Italy for their part were well in the contest and as previously mentioned had that game been on home soil they would have beaten Ireland. There are glimpses of improvement but the defence is still very suspect and weak when you need to it to become water tight or at least show signs it is going the right way.

Italy will know this was an opportunity missed to get a first ever back to back win in the 6 Nations. There scrum really impressed and put both starting and replacement Irish front rows under severe pressure. It again shows if you have a solid set piece you can go places. There back play also put Ireland in the shade and had them scrambling countless times this afternoon.

For Ireland, It is a trip to Twickenham to face a wounded England after they were humbled 31-20 this evening in Murrayfield. The hopes of an England Grand Slam are over for 2026 but they like Ireland will be in search of a strong showing after a mixed opening fortnight for both sides.

From an Irish point of view it might be time to evoke the memories of times past like 1982 and 1985 to help focus the mind for the task at hand in Twickenham next Saturday. Ireland are in need of a strong showing and let’s hope the performances of certain players will be rewarded with starting places or at least a place in the 23.

Here is my 23 to face England –

15 Jamie Osbourne

14 Robert Balacounne

13 Tom Farrell

12 Stuart Mc Closkey

11 James Lowe

10 Jack Crowley

9 Jamison Gibson Park

8 Jack Conan

7 Caelan Doris

6 Cormac Izuchkwu

5 Tadgh Beirne

4 Edwin Edogbo

3 Thomas Clarkson

2 Dan Sheehan

1 Micheal Milne

–

16 Ronan Kelleher

17 Tom O Toole

18 Tadgh Furlong

19 Joe Mc Carthy

20 Nick Timoney

21 Craig Casey

22 Harry Byrne

23 Tommy O Brien

Since the defeat last week in Paris, the amount of talk about the decline of the current Irish set up has increased. Has the product line dried up, is the school system fit for purpose etc, all acceptable questions of course but why now to ask those questions.

Ireland have struggled at International level over the past while losing a number of games but also bar New Zealand and France last week they were still in with some sort of shout towards the 80^th minute.

They will look to get back to winning ways on home ground on Saturday in the early kick off at 2.10pm against Italy who themselves will be buoyed by the win in Rome over Scotland. Italy have only once beaten Ireland in the 6 Nations back in 2013. A day that neither country will forget but it will be a memory that will be spoken of this week for contrasting reasons in each camp.

As for the supposed drying up of Irish talent, I think while in some respects there is merit in the statement overall, the sweeping of the brush might be a bit premature. This weekend gives some new faces the chance to stake a claim for ongoing inclusion. It also gives squad members a timely reminder to buck up your ideas.

Ireland are stuck between two stools and will need to shore up their defence in the coming weeks and Simon Easterby will know he will need those players to start making the right calls in defence because not alone Italy, England, Scotland and Wales will find opportunities in the last few weeks of the competition.

The system Ireland have used over the past few years has had it success in bringing players through and also when they sweep the globe to see who might be eligible to pull on a green jersey they have done a good job too, men like CJ Stander, Justin Bishop, Justin Fitzpatrick to name 3 men.

Of course this way of operating is not without fault, Peter Borlase was brought in by Munster with an eye to winning an Irish cap but on that occasion it didn’t work out. He spent a season with Munster then time on loan in Connacht before heading back to New Zealand.

Like every system, it does have its faults and people make errors. The title ambitions for the current campaign are probably gone so Ireland will hopefully look to give other players a chance to shine. The soundings from the Irish camp are suggesting that a number of changes will be seen in the 23 announced at 2pm this afternoon to take Italy on in the Aviva Stadium.

Time will tell of course and no matter what changes are made you can be sure it won’t suit everybody. Andy Farrell as well as his players are under pressure to come up with a performance and result to get things started back on an upward curve.

The talk of decline and the reasons that may be behind it are warranted but we may just need to leave it until the campaign ends when people can look clearly at the games and see where changes may be needed.

Italy come to Dublin with a real chance of winning and that alone should sharpen the minds of the Irish squad. All roads now lead to Lansdowe Road and to the Aviva for a 2pm kick off…..

I will now try and select my own 23 to face Italy in the round 2 fixture in Dublin after last Thursday’s 36-14 defeat to France in Paris. Andy Farrell and his coaches have had plenty to mull over following the loss. Italy for their part were full value for their 18-15 win Scotland in Rome.

Italy will have seen the game on Thursday and will know they have a chance to create a small piece of history by being the first Italian team to beat Ireland in Dublin since their introduction to the 6 Nations back in 2000.

There set piece worked well and they manged to take a few chances to score tries as well which will please Gonzalo Quesada who has got Italy moving in a positive fashion and off the back of the win over Scotland they will only grow in confidence.

They along with other teams will sniff blood in the water and they might just sense that Ireland may be vulnerable and see this as a big chance to make it 2 from 2 for this campaign. The chance is there and the manner of Ireland’s performance will only help them gain confidence that they can cause a 2^nd straight shock.

For Ireland, there is room for people to get an opportunity without going overboard in terms of selection. Ireland need to be shaken up in a number of ways in terms of defence, attacking game plan and team selection.

The next few weeks have been now tagged as the biggest of the Andy Farrell regime since he took the job in 2020. He still has credit in the bank of course having won the Grand Slam in 2023 and Championship in 2024. But he will need to alter his policies around selection and start to give others a real chance to show what they can do.

The players will also need to take advantage of any chance given and play above themselves to stay in contention for a regular spot in the 23. Here is my attempt at picking a 23 to face Italy.

15 Jamie Osbourne

14 Garry Ringrose

13 Tom Farrell

12 Stuart Mc Closkey

11 Robert Balcounne

10 Jack Crowley

9 Craig Casey

8 Jack Conan

7 Nick Timoney

6 Caelan Doris

5 Tadgh Beirne

4 Edwin Edogbo

3 Thomas Clarkson

2 Dan Sheehan

1 Michael Milne

–

16 Ronan Kelleher

17 Billy Bohan

18 Tadgh Furlong

19 James Ryan

20 Joe Mc Carthy

21 Cian Prendergast

22 Jamison Gibson Park

23 Jacob Stockdale

Here is my 23 to face Italy. I know it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but I feel they would be well placed to face Italy with this side….

France have won the 6 Nations opener for 2026 comfortably 36-14 having led 22-0 at the break. Ireland will know the opening”40” was not acceptable but France were in flying form and played rugby from another planet on occasion with the likes of Dupont, Bielle Biarrey in smashing form.

Shaun Edwards will be pleased to see all the hard yards he and his players but in come to fruition in defence as well as attack. They hounded Ireland through the game and never allowed Ireland settle. Ireland will know some of the decision making in the game left a lot to be desired and will need to be better at many aspects going into to the home game in Dublin against Italy.

Coaches and players alike will need to shoulder reasonability for the manner of the performance and they will know as a group they have so much to work on. They can’t rest on their laurels now as Italy are in town next Saturday before heading to play England in London in week 3.

It might be time for Farrell to begin to pick on form with Nick Timoney showing his quality after coming on as did a share of players who came off the bench admittedly in a team that was beaten by half time. Both scrum and line out worked well and gave some platform in the 2^nd half that allowed Ireland create pressure for short bursts in the game late on in particular.

France for their part showed the rest what is required to wrestle the trophy from French hands. Not that the whole game will please Galthie but he knew his side had the job as good as done by half time.

France played front foot rugby mixed with Gallic flair which is so hard to stop, it’s like trying to stop a leak with a handkerchief, it will only do so much to stem the flow… They picked an in form 23 and that helped push them to greater heights with 3 older heads left out on week 1 with those players now likely to face a battle to get a look in barring a number of injuries.

For Ireland, they have little time to circle the wagons and will need to look ahead to the challenge of Italy on Saturday week. A number of changes might be called for but given the margin of the defeat Farrell may be tempted to make minimal change but guys like Micheal Milne and Nick Timoney certainly gave Farrell food for thought.

Sam Prendergast will know he was poor on occasion this evening certainly in the opening half where some of his nervous play led to French scores. He wasn’t alone, some of Ireland’s first up tackling was very poor and Simon Easterby will also need to look into some of the “system failures” that dogged Ireland this evening.

Some of the flowery language used again over the past few weeks by pundits would drive the ordinary punter mad, a mistake and errors are just that and please stop dressing it up to make it sound more acceptable. A mistake is still a mistake no matter how you say it.

France head off into the sun set with a healthy win over Ireland and they can now really set course for a tilt at the Championship and Grand Slam, others like England and Scotland might still have a say but France certainly laid down a strong marker on home soil.

As for Ireland, the Championship hopes as slim as they may have been given current form are extinguished so Farrell has the chance to be brave in selection over the next few weeks. 3 games to come in Dublin as well as England in Twickenham will test the mettle and resolve of the whole squad as the other 4 sides will think they sense blood in the water after the manner of the loss.

Time now for Ireland to stand up and be counted as well as Farrell and his coaches being brave with selection and a different attacking approach…. Let’s see how things unfold….

The 2026 6 Nation starts on Thursday evening in Paris with Ireland facing France, the strange kick off time is because the Winter Olympics from Milano Cortina begins over the next couple of days and the 6 Nations didn’t want to face a clash and so it’s still Paris in spring time but on a Thursday evening rather than Saturday afternoon or evening.

Ireland have selected there 23 to battle France with Jeremy Loughman facing his biggest challenge in green along with Cian Prendergast starting at blindside with Sam Prendergast at 10. Stuart Mc Closkey starting alongside Garry Ringrose with Jacob Stockdale getting in on the left wing a first 6 Nations start since 2021 for Stockdale.

Injury has forced Farrell into changes aplenty and that is a strange thing to write but Farrell has resisted changes over his time as Ireland Head Coach and would most likely stuck with the tried and trusted yet again only for injury to make him change tack.

At loosehead, Ireland have two inexperienced men but they have scrummaged against French sides at club level and will draw on that experience in the white hot atmosphere of the Stade De France on opening night.

Ireland had a mixed 2025 although they only lost 1 game in last season’s 6 Nations on the final day at home to France, it was more the manner of the loss rather than the defeat itself that annoyed Irish supporters.

Ireland have had to make changes but that is no bad thing and we will see certain players get the chance to stick up there hand for continued selection over the coming months. Andy Farrell resists change but he also needs to start to make the move away from the tried and trusted players with 1 eye on 2027 in Australia.

There is still a real core of experience in the 23, so those players with only single figures in terms of caps will lean on those few experienced heads for guidance when the pressure comes on Thursday.

France have had plenty of disruption themselves with Unini Antonio having to announce his retirement due to a heart attack at training, Thibault Flaminent won’t be involved due to personal reasons but could be back for round 2 or 3. Form or lack thereof sees the trio of Aldritt, Penaud and Fickou all left out but some really exciting players will be there in their place.

Since the RWC semi-final loss to South Africa, Fabien Galthie has tried to bring through plenty of young players and has toured New Zealand with a much changed squad in summer 2025.

What he has done is try to build strength in depth but in certain places that has been lacking with tighthead being a position if concern so while Ireland wondered who would wear the number 1 jersey, France have wondered who might be wearing the number 3 shirt in the long term.

France will still feel they have the match for Ireland on opening night and with Ireland’s ongoing issues as to who is the first choice 10, France will look to pounce on that type of uncertainty and play an attacking brand of rugby coupled with a strong showing upfront.

Antoine Dupont will be back at 9 and “Le Petite General” will want to hit the ground running and pick up his good form in a French shirt that he has shown while playing for Toulouse this season. He has signed a long term deal with Toulouse to stay with them until 2031, a deal of that length is normally unheard of in rugby with the best you can normally hope for in Ireland would be a 3 year deal. It shows how much faith Toulouse have in him and they hope he will lead them to more trophies in the next 5 years.

The smart money is a France win but I sat here 2 years ago following on from the heart breaking defeat to New Zealand in the 2023 RWC quarter final and said similar only for Ireland to come out and give one of the finest performances of the Andy Farrell era and blow France away on the way to winning the title in 2024.

On this occasion, it will be backs against the wall job and while it looks unlikely Ireland will repeat the win of 2 years ago, It is still the first game and both sides will sense they can steal a march on the others by winning. My heart says Ireland but I just think France might have too much in the pack for Ireland to handle and win by between 7 and 10 points….