Injury Sidelines Ireland’s Tadhg Furlong for Six Nations Opener Against England
Ireland’s hopes for their opening Six Nations match against England have been dealt a significant blow with the news that Tadhg Furlong will be sidelined due to injury. The 32-year-old Leinster prop, who recently suffered a recurrence of a calf problem during training in Portugal, will not be able to take the field at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin this Saturday.
Furlong, who missed all four of Ireland’s November fixtures due to a hamstring issue, had only recently returned to action for Leinster before this setback. His absence leaves a void in the team, with his Connacht counterpart Finlay Bealham likely to step into his place against England.
The tight-head’s injury is a setback for Ireland, especially considering the thrilling last-gasp drop goal by Marcus Smith that secured a 23-22 victory for England over Ireland at Twickenham last year. This win for England marked the end of a series of defeats suffered at the hands of Ireland.
While Furlong’s absence is a blow, there is some positive news for Ireland as hooker Dan Sheehan was named player of the match in his recent return from an ACL injury for Leinster. Scoring two tries in his comeback game, Sheehan’s performance has bolstered Ireland’s squad ahead of the Six Nations opener.
Joining Sheehan in the Ireland squad in Portugal is winger James Lowe, who also managed a successful return from injury. These developments offer a glimmer of hope for Ireland as they prepare to face off against England in their first Six Nations match.
Looking ahead, Ireland’s Six Nations fixtures include challenging matchups against Scotland, Wales, France, and Italy in the coming weeks. With Furlong sidelined, the team will need to regroup and refocus to overcome this setback and put forth a strong performance in the tournament.
