France manager Fabien Galthie and Ireland manager Andy Farrell have announced their match-day squads for Friday’s Six Nations opener.
Both coaches have kept changes to a minimum overall, with most of the changes only due to injuries and retirements.
However, both coaches found space in the 23-year-old to reward his form.
Here are the winners and losers of the two team selections for the Six Nations opener.
winner:
new captains
Antoine Dupont and Johnny Sexton captained France and Ireland respectively at the Rugby World Cup, but with the former chasing his Olympic dreams and the latter retiring, there will always be a new leader in this campaign.
Gregory Aldritt was surprisingly named captain for this tournament, although Dupont’s predecessor, Charles Ollivon, was also selected for Round 23. The powerful No. 8 certainly deserves the honour, and will grow in the role just as he did during his time at La Rochelle.
Meanwhile, veteran flanker Peter O’Mahony will take up the role for Ireland following Sexton’s retirement. It was no surprise when he was announced as the championship captain, and he’s exactly the right kind of leader this team needs. The passionate back-rower not only fulfills his routine of leading from the front with his actions, but also has a keen knowledge of the law, which will surely inspire his teammates.
He has spoken openly about his passion for representing Ireland and it is truly a reward for a true legend of Ireland and Munster Rugby.
Joe McCarthy
Fans and pundits criticized the lack of fresh faces in Farrell’s Six Nations squad, but the Ireland manager made a bold move in the second row, giving Joe McCarthy a starting spot. .
McCarthy has been in excellent form for Leinster after making several notable changes in the green jersey during last year’s World Cup. The 22-year-old was the starting jumper ahead of James Ryan and appears to have convinced coaches he is more than capable of competing against the imposing French side in his first Six Nations Test.
🤕 Gary Ringrose.
😲 Amazing disrespect!☘️ Andy Farrell has named the Ireland team to take on France in their Six Nations opener. #Guinness M6N #flabilehttps://t.co/0EI8JzIjBo
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) January 31, 2024
Paul Gavrilags was honored
During his time as France manager, Galthie regularly encouraged young players to shine, but he also rewarded determination and performance.
Stade Français lock Paul Gabriag was called up for the 2024 Six Nations for the first time during Galthie’s tenure, earning his first Test cap since the 2019 Rugby World Cup after impressing in this Top 14 season. Obtained.
Similarly, Paul Willemse was initially left out of the tournament squad, but earned a starting role this week. The powerhouse Locke was plagued by injuries and ultimately missed out on the World Cup last year, but it seems like he’s back with something to prove.
pete maubaka
Pete Mauvaca has regularly played second fiddle to Julien Marchand for Toulouse and the French national team, but it looks like he is stepping out of that shadow for good.
Mauvaka has had a great World Cup performance since Marchand’s injury and appears to be ahead of him in the pecking order on Galthie’s book. Hooker is reportedly not happy coming off the bench for the big game against Toulouse and is making his mark on the pitch with a view to starting.
jack crowley
The Munster fly-half is the first player to have the opportunity to cement his position as Sexton’s long-term successor.
Crawley has been in great form for Munster in recent months and deserves his chance. We are lucky that Ross Byrne was absent, but he was eligible to stake his claim ahead of Harry Byrne and Ciaran Frawley.
He finished 2023 as Sexton’s replacement and has a chance to prove himself in a strong first-round match that could decide the tournament.
loser
ulster players
Not a single Ulster player was included in the matchday squad for the opening game against France, and some will certainly be feeling the pinch.
With Farrell opting to sit on the bench at 6-2, Stuart McCloskey certainly could have earned a spot as a substitute, and given Robbie Henshaw’s recent injury record, he should have. Because he is deaf, Stuart McCloskey may resent being disrespected.
Nick Timane, on the other hand, has been in excellent form for Ulster this season and has always struggled to earn a place in the starting XI, but could feature on the bench, especially given that six forwards are playing. The sex was definitely there.
Jacob Stockdale would have dreamed of a chance to join the team with Mack Hansen out, but unfortunately he lost his jersey to Calvin Nash.
Leinster co-captains Garry Ringrose and James Ryan
Garry Ringrose missed the opening game due to injury, dealing a further blow to Ireland’s backline stock. Leinster’s outside center had put together a string of outstanding performances before the Six Nations and looked set for a strong tournament. He could still return later in the tournament, but despite Ireland’s depth, his all-round skillset will be missed in midfield.
Meanwhile, the club’s co-captain James Ryan has been left out of the starting XI, with McCarthy and Tadhg Beirne the favorites. Ryan has been doing so for the past few seasons and was one of the favorites to captain Ireland this year, but has now fallen down the pecking order. While many experts are pinning him alongside McCarthy and expecting him to make an impact off the bench, the decision to move him to the bench has left many wondering whether he is best suited to start. This suggests that there are some doubts.
Louis Vier Bierley
After shining at last year’s World Cup, scoring four tries in four games, Louis Biel-Bialley has dropped to the France bench, with clubmate Yoram Moefana taking over on the wing.
Biel Bialley struggled against the Boks’ kicking game in the quarter-final loss to South Africa, and that may have had a big influence on Galthie’s decision. However, while Moefana often plays in the center for Bordeaux and has previously worked on the wing for the French national team, his selection over Biel Bialley will no doubt raise a few eyebrows.
🇫🇷 Obviously without Antoine Dupont, but still an incredibly strong French team. #flabile 🔥
📋 Les Bleus’ 23-man squad takes on Ireland #Guinness M6N. https://t.co/TR37NsX6p4
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) January 31, 2024
injured rookie
It was already known that Emmanuel Mairfoux would not be in the squad for the opening game due to a knee injury, but Galthie was immediately reminded of that when he announced his squad.
It would have been a great sight to see Toulouse’s powerhouse team take on the Irish, especially after Farrell gave the young star in the second row the starting jumper.
Hopefully, at some point during the tournament, we’ll see Meafou rise to prominence.
read more: Expert witness: Bernard Jackman backs James Ryan’s disdain as Ireland’s ‘right decision’ as they aim to ‘cure’ their World Cup hangover