IRELAND HAVE NAMED uncapped Leinster loosehead prop Jack Boyle in their 36-man squad for the 2025 Six Nations.

22-year-old Boyle was involved in Ireland’s November campaign as a development player but has now been formally named in the senior squad for the first time.

Interim head coach Simon Easterby welcomes back first-choice hooker Dan Sheehan as he gets set to complete a full recovery from the knee injury he suffered on last summer’s tour of South Africa.

Left wing James Lowe is also fit enough to be included having been sidelined with a calf injury since the November Tests.

Ireland say that Sheehan and Lowe joining the group is “subject to their successful return from injury” for Leinster.

While the bulk of the Ireland squad will gather in Dublin on Monday and then travel to Portugal for a training camp, Sheehan and Lowe are set to spend another week with Leinster before linking up with Ireland in Portugal on Sunday 26 January. That means they could feature in Leinster’s URC game against the Stormers the day before.

Back row Jack Conan makes his return to the Ireland group having missed their last two campaigns, while tighthead Tadhg Furlong is fully fit again after injury meant he never played in November despite being with the squad.

Connacht man Caolin Blade returns to the set-up as the third scrum-half after Craig Casey was ruled out due to injury. 

Versatile back Jimmy O’Brien is another returning face having been recalled among the backline options.

Easterby has named four additional uncapped development players to join Ireland for their camp in Portugal, with Connacht scrum-half Ben Murphy, Ulster back row James McNabney, Leinster centre Hugh Cooney, and Connacht centre Cathal Forde in that bracket.

Number eight Caelan Doris continues as captain in a squad that includes no surprises, as expected.

Leinster out-half Sam Prendergast, Leinster tighthead Thomas Clarkson, Leinster hooker Gus McCarthy, and Ulster lock/blindside Cormac Izuchukwu are all included after making their debuts for Ireland in November.

There is a great deal of continuity from the Autumn Nations Series, although Jacob Stockdale and Stuart McCloskey are absent having been injured since, prop Tom O’Toole is suspended for the first two Six Nations games, while Dave Heffernan and Nick Timoney haven’t been selected this time around.

Ireland kick off their campaign at home to England on Saturday 1 February before travelling to Scotland the following Sunday.

Easterby’s men are away to Wales on Saturday 22 February in between the two rest weekends, then finish at home against France on 8 March and away to Italy on Super Saturday 15 March.

Ireland squad for 2025 Six Nations:

Props: Andrew Porter, Cian Healy, Jack Boyle, Tadhg Furlong, Finlay Bealham, Thomas Clarkson

Hookers: Dan Sheehan, Rónan Kelleher, Gus McCarthy, Rob Herring

Second rows: James Ryan, Joe McCarthy, Iain Henderson, Tadhg Beirne

Back rows: Caelan Doris (captain), Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan, Ryan Baird, Peter O’Mahony, Cormac Izuchukwu, Cian Prendergast

Halfbacks: Jamison Gibson-Park, Conor Murray, Caolin Blade, Sam Prendergast, Jack Crowley, Ciarán Frawley

Centres: Bundee Aki, Robbie Henshaw, Garry Ringrose

Back threes: James Lowe, Mack Hansen, Hugo Keenan, Jamie Osborne, Calvin Nash, Jimmy O’Brien

Development players: Ben Murphy, James McNabney, Cathal Forde, Hugh Cooney

Written by Murray Kinsella and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.