Prendergast Replaces Ahern In Ireland Squad For Training Camp

Connacht’s Cian Prendergast has been called into the Ireland squad for their training camp in Portugal. He replaces Tom Ahern who sustained a head injury during Munster’s Investec Heineken Champions Cup defeat to Northampton Saints.

Ahern had been selected as one of Ireland’s training panellists ahead of the Guinness Six Nations, but his injury from last Saturday’s game saw him stay overnight in hospital, and he will continue his rehabilitation with Munster.

It is very unfortunate timing for the uncapped Ahern, who has shown his athleticism and versatility in a recent run of appearances in the back row. He has scored six tries for Munster so far this season, including two in the Champions Cup.

Andy Farrell’s men fly out on Wednesday for the pre-Six Nations training camp in Quinta do Lago. The travelling party will include the 34-player squad, along with three training panellists, Oli Jager and now both Prendergast brothers, Sam and Cian.

The 23-year-old Cian has played three times for Ireland between 2022 and 2023, and was part of the summer training squad ahead of last year’s Rugby World Cup. He began 2024 as Connacht’s player-of-the-match in their home win over Munster.

Speaking at the Guinness Six Nations launch on Monday, Ireland head coach Farrell said: “As far as fitness and being ready for the first game (against France) is concerned, we’ve nine days and five training sessions to get ourselves up to speed.

“We’ve been pretty good at that over the last few seasons, so it’s about getting ourselves ready for that first game on Friday week in Marseille.

“I’ve no doubt that players will be bouncing into camp (today) and looking forward to the nine days of preparation together.”

IRELAND MEN’S Squad (2024 Guinness Six Nations Championship):

Player/Club/Province/Caps –

Backs (15):

Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht) 52
Harry Byrne (UCD/Leinster) 2
Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster) 13
Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster) 9
Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster) 1
Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster) 30
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster) 62
Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster) 36
Jordan Larmour (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 30
James Lowe (Leinster) 26
Stuart McCloskey (Bangor/Ulster) 15
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 112
Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster) 1
Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster) 57
Jacob Stockdale (Lurgan/Ulster) 37

Forwards (19):

Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster) 15
Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht) 36
Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster) 46
Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 41
Caelan Doris (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 36
Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 72
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 125
Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster) 79
Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster) 26
Jeremy Loughman (Garryowen/Munster) 4
Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster) 5
Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) (capt) 101
Tom O’Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 12
Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster) 59
James Ryan (UCD/Leinster) 59
Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster) 21
Tom Stewart (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 2
Nick Timoney (Banbridge/Ulster) 3
Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster) 57

Training Panellists:

Oli Jager (Munster) *
Thomas Ahern (Shannon/Munster) (injured for Portugal camp) *
Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster) *
Cian Prendergast (UCD/Connacht) 3

* Denotes uncapped player