Andy Farrell has named his Ireland squad of 36 players for the Northern Hemisphere legs of the Nations Championship, with Dan Sheehan named as captain. Ireland will resume their campaign against Argentina, Fiji and South Africa in Dublin, and the squad selection includes two players who could be making their international debuts.
Winners
Jamie Benson: This is a hugely exciting opportunity for the uncapped Ulster man. With Jack Crowley injured and Sam Prendergast yet to establish himself at the highest level, Benson has a chance to build on his skills and make his name on the international stage. His rise is remarkable, given that he was playing for Cambridge in the RFU Championship just three seasons ago.
James McNabney: Another potential debutant, the former Grand Slam-winning Under-20s player has been a mainstay of the Ulster team for a couple of seasons. He can play across the back row and, at 6ft 5in, he is an impressive physical presence who could be a real handful for international defences if Farrell unleashes him.
Mack Hansen: The Australian-born winger is back. After an elongated foot and ankle injury ruled him out for much of 2025 and 2026, Hansen returns to the Ireland squad for the first time in almost a year. Having played a few Connacht games this season, he earns a recall that should add real go-forward to the Ireland attack.
Ireland’s midfield: A lack of youth in the midfield is perhaps the one negative, with Jamie Osbourne, whose versatility sees him deployed at full-back more often than not, the only exception. The positives far outweigh that, though. The remaining four midfielders, Bundee Aki, Robbie Henshaw, Stuart McCloskey and Garry Ringrose, boast 262 caps between them. They are all getting older, but having that many top-quality operators available at the same time is a dream for any coach.
Back-row replacements: Nick Timoney, Sean Jansen, Ryan Baird and Cian Prendergast are all fresh into their Ireland journeys, and each has a golden opportunity to make a mark ahead of next year’s World Cup. With Jack Conan and Caelan Doris injured, the quartet are likely to get plenty of chances to prove they deserve a matchday spot at the global tournament.
Losers
Jack Aungier: The 27-year-old prop has made an impressive start at Munster since joining from Connacht in the summer. He has packed down expertly at tighthead and shown his quality in both the URC and the Champions Cup, but he will not feature at the Nations Championship. He did appear for Ireland A earlier this year, so he is within touching distance of the senior squad, but time is running out if he is to push for a place at the 2027 World Cup.
Zac Ward: His brother Bryn is injured, so he will not add to his Ireland appearance tally, and Zac is still chasing his first cap. The Olympic Sevens star was called up for the 2026 Nations Championship Southern Hemisphere Series after Tommy O’Brien was ruled out through injury, but he failed to make an appearance. He has played for the A side on more than one occasion, but the Munster man is clearly not at the forefront of Farrell’s thinking at present.
Jack Murphy: Ireland boast one of the oldest squads in the world game, so an injection of youth would not go amiss. The 22-year-old fly-half will be disappointed not to get a look-in, particularly after Crowley’s injury. He has been in excellent form for Ulster, however, and it surely will not be long before he earns a place in the senior squad.
Brian Gleeson: The former Under-20s captain was called up to the senior side in autumn 2025 for a tour of the United States, but he had to withdraw after suffering a broken elbow. Now fit, the 22-year-old Munster back-rower will be gutted to miss out, with less than a year to go until the World Cup.
Injuries: Several players were not considered due to injury, including Jack Boyle, Harry Byrne, Jack Conan, Jack Crowley, Caelan Doris, Iain Henderson, Paddy McCarthy, Calvin Nash and Bryn Ward. Byrne will be disappointed to miss out, particularly with his rival Crowley also sidelined, while Ireland will miss Conan and Doris badly in the back row.
Munster: Only two Munster players have made the squad, Tadhg Beirne and Craig Casey, compared with eight from Connacht and nine from Ulster. Leinster, unsurprisingly, lead the way with 17.
Fixtures
Ireland open their November campaign against Argentina on Friday, 6 November (kick-off 8.10pm), before welcoming Fiji to the Home of Irish Rugby on Saturday, 14 November (kick-off 8.10pm). Farrell’s side then face South Africa at a sold-out Aviva Stadium on Saturday, 21 November (kick-off 4.40pm). The Nations Championship Finals Weekend follows a week later at the Allianz Stadium in London.