Ireland facing prop problems ahead of Six Nations as Jack Boyle withdraws from squad

Ireland are facing a major problem at prop ahead of the Six Nations with Jack Boyle a third loosehead to go down injured.

Boyle was taken off on a cart during Leinster’s win at Connacht on Saturday and has dropped out of Andy Farrell’s squad for the tournament.

Fellow Leinster looseheads Andrew Porter and Paddy McCarthy are also absent through injury, with the uncapped Connacht youngster Billy Bohan joining Munster pair Jeremy Loughman and Michael Milne in the squad.

The trio have just seven combined caps, leaving head coach Farrell with a decision to make after losing veteran Cian Healy to retirement last year.

The Ireland boss may look to move tighthead Tom O’Toole across, although the Ulster prop has scant experience on the left of the scrum. He did make a rare start in the No 1 shirt for Ireland A against England A last February, though.

Ireland open their campaign against France in Paris on Thursday 5 February, with Cormac Izuchukwu also called into their squad. The Ulster forward, who can play at lock or on the blindside, replaces Munster’s Tom Ahern, who has not recovered sufficiently from injury to join up for a pre-tournament training camp in Portugal.

France, meanwhile, have called up Joshua Brennan, son of former Ireland international Trevor, to replace Thibaud Flament.

Lock Flament will miss the opening fixture to be with his wife as she undergoes fertility treatment, and is replaced by a Toulouse teammate.

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The 24-year-old Brennan was born in Dublin but raised in Toulouse, where his father runs a bar after concluding his playing days with five years in the city.

France have also replaced La Rochelle pair Uini Atonio and Paul Boudehent with Georges-Henri Colombe and Alexandre Roumat, further increasing the Toulouse representation in Fabien Galthie’s squad.