Alan Quinlan: Ireland Favorite For Six Nations, But Depth Concerns Remain
Alan Quinlan: Ireland Favorite For Six Nations, But Depth Concerns Remain
Alan Quinlan backs Ireland as Six Nations favorite, with home advantage vs. England & France but warns of squad depth, reliance on Porter and attack issues.
Former Munster and Ireland Rugby star Alan Quinlan has backed Ireland as the favorite for the upcoming Six Nations but cautioned that squad depth and consistency remain key challenges for Andy Farrell's side.
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With heavyweights England and France set to visit Dublin, Quinlan believes Ireland's strong form at home could make the difference.
"Historically, the two big opponents are coming to Dublin, which is an advantage," Quinlan told BoyleSports. "Ireland have to be one of the favourites."
Ireland’s rise to the top tier of international rugby in recent years has been punctuated by a Grand Slam, a Six Nations title and a historic series win in New Zealand.
However, Quinlan noted that expectations may have become "unrealistic" following these successes.
"The World Cup was a big disappointment, but they’ve shown they are one of the top teams in the world," he said.
Despite a strong record last November - winning three out of four games - Quinlan acknowledged some concerns over the team’s performances.
"November was a little bit of a worry," he added. "There’s a lot of familiar faces who’ve been around for a long time. They’ve still got miles left, but it’s something to watch."
Quinlan highlighted Ireland’s reliance on experienced players such as Andrew Porter in the front row as a potential weakness.
"The front row is a concern," he said. "We didn’t have Tadhg Furlong for the first two games in November, and while Finlay Bealham did well, Andrew Porter is staying on for 75 minutes, which shows a lack of depth."
Despite these issues, Quinlan praised the integration of new talent during the November internationals.
"We had five new caps, which is a huge positive," Quinlan said. "Gus McCarthy was a real find at hooker, and Cormac Izuchukwu looks like an exciting prospect.
Quinlan emphasized the need for a gradual transition, noting Ireland’s limited player pool.
Ireland’s back line also came under scrutiny, with Quinlan calling for more speed in the outside center position.
While praising stalwarts like James Lowe and Mack Hansen, he said: "The balance of Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw isn’t always right if Gary Ringrose is unavailable. We could do with more out-and-out gas."
On attack, Quinlan pointed to a lack of fluidity in November.
"Ireland struggled to get their attack game going," he said. "Teams are figuring them out by targeting the set piece and breakdown."
He suggested tweaks, including a more pragmatic kicking game, to counter this.
Looking ahead, Quinlan expects Ireland’s core approach to remain unchanged under Simon Easterby.
"Simon’s been with Ireland for a long time," he said, stressing the importance of building on recent seasons while integrating younger players with an eye on the 2027 World Cup. "I don’t see him reinventing the wheel or making dramatic changes."
Quinlan concluded by reaffirming Ireland’s potential to dominate the Six Nations but warned of the fine margins at the top level.
"One bad performance, and the question marks come out," he concluded. "But they’ve got some wonderful players and should be favorites."
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