Six Nations: Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong to miss England game

Ireland will be without British & Irish Lions prop Tadhg Furlong for their Six Nations opener against England on Saturday in Dublin.

The 32-year-old has been ruled out after suffering a calf strain in training last weekend. Connacht’s Jack Aungier has been called up.

Furlong missed all four of Ireland’s autumn internationals with a hamstring injury and only returned to fitness this month. But with Furlong sidelined, it’ll likely be Finlay Bealham who starts at tight-head prop, with Tom O’Toole suspended.

In better news for Ireland, James Lowe and Dan Sheehan are back in the mix after recovering from injury.

Sheehan is back after recovering from an ACL injury, while Lowe has been sidelined with a calf injury he suffered against Australia in November. Leinster’s Jack Boyle has also joined up with the squad, while Connacht’s Caolin Blade arrives on Monday.

Further reading

– Under-fire RFU CEO Bill Sweeney: ‘I’ve never thought about stepping down’
– Six Nations and Women’s Six Nations: Full fixture list
– Six Nations: Wales’ Warren Gatland open to Louis Rees-Zammit return