Ireland faces a challenging situation as they prepare for their Six Nations clash against England at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, with a late change to their lineup. Head coach Andy Farrell announced that Jack Conan has been ruled out due to illness, requiring a last-minute adjustment to the matchday squad.
Conan had initially been named among the replacements following a solid performance at number eight during Ireland’s victory over Italy in round two. In his absence, Connacht’s Cian Prendergast has been called up to fill the void. Despite this change, Farrell has retained the rest of the starting lineup, which features Jamie Osborne, Robert Baloucoune, and James Lowe in the back three. The midfield pairing consists of Stuart McCloskey and Garry Ringrose, while Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park will start as the halfbacks against England.
In the forward pack, Tadhg Furlong, Dan Sheehan, and Jeremy Loughman will make up the front row. Joe McCarthy and James Ryan will take their places in the second row, and the loose trio will include captain Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, and Tadhg Beirne.
Interestingly, Conan’s withdrawal allowed Farrell the chance to reconsider a second rower for the bench, but he opted to maintain his strategy by bringing in another back-row player instead. Prendergast is making a return to the matchday 23 after starting against France in the Championship’s opening round.
The match against England, scheduled for Saturday, 21 February 2026, is set to kick off at 14:10 GMT. Fans can catch the action live on various platforms including ITV, TF1, and RTE Sport, making it accessible to a wide audience.
As the teams prepare to clash, all eyes will be on how Ireland adapts to the sudden change and whether they can continue their strong performance in the Six Nations. The competitive spirit of the tournament promises an exciting encounter, and both teams will be eager to assert their dominance as they vie for crucial points.