The China Mail - Keenan return to Irish squad boosts Farrell ahead of 6 Nations

Keenan, who scored the series-clinching try for the Lions against Australia, was upbeat about his chances on Wednesday of making the game in Paris.

"I'm doing well," said the 29-year-old.

"I obviously haven't played yet, but I'm getting there.

"I feel I've turned the corner in the last couple of weeks. I've been back out training fully with Leinster the last week or two, so starting to come good."

Keenan's return is at least good news for head coach Andy Farrell, who has several key players missing from the 37-man squad owing to injury.

Keenan's fellow Leinster and Lions teammates, combative prop Andrew Porter and centre Robbie Henshaw, are ruled out with calf and knee issues respectively.

Livewire wing Mack Hansen and Ryan Baird are also absentees through injury.

Farrell has called up a couple of uncapped players in Munster second row forward Edwin Edogbo and Ulster scrum-half Nathan Doak.

There is still plenty of experience in the squad, from captain Caelan Doris to scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park.

- 'Exciting challenge' -

Gibson-Park's partner in the half-backs remains a toss-up between his Leinster team-mate Sam Prendergast or Munster's Jack Crowley.

The latter enjoyed perhaps his best performance for Ireland in cutting the French defence to ribbons in Marseille two years ago as the Irish romped to a 38-17 victory.

"The competition levels across all of the opposing teams has never been higher and we have an exciting challenge first up away to France in Paris to kick things off," said Farrell in an Irish Rugby statement.

"It will be a huge test as always.

"The squad has evolved over the last 18 months, with 12 players making their international debuts over the last year alone."

Farrell will be looking for a marked improvement in Ireland's discipline, which contributed to a mixed bag of results in 2025 -- reduced to 12 men at one point in the 24-13 defeat by world champions South Africa.

After the trip to France, Ireland play Italy at home on February 14 before heading to Twickenham to play England a week later.

"Led once more by Caelan (Doris), we know that we have to hit the ground running and we're looking forward to regrouping on Sunday and meeting the challenges ahead in a positive frame of mind," said Farrell.

Squad

Forwards (20):

Tom Ahern (Munster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Jack Boyle (Leinster), Thomas Clarkson (Leinster), Jack Conan (Leinster), Caelan Doris (Leinster, capt), Edwin Edogbo (Munster), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Ronan Kelleher (Leinster), Jeremy Loughman (Munster), Joe McCarthy (Leinster), Michael Milne (Munster), Tom O'Toole (Ulster), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), James Ryan (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Tom Stewart (Ulster), Nick Timoney (Ulster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster)

Backs (17):

Bundee Aki (Connacht), Robert Baloucoune (Ulster), Harry Byrne (Leinster), Craig Casey (Munster), Jack Crowley (Munster), Nathan Doak (Ulster), Tom Farrell (Munster), Ciaran Frawley (Leinster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster), Hugo Keenan (Leinster), James Lowe (Leinster), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), Tommy O'Brien (Leinster), Jamie Osborne (Leinster), Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Jacob Stockdale (Ulster)

Z.Huang--ThChM