![\"bryn-ward\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1770691092_37_.JPEG\")
\n Bryn Ward playing for Ireland XV at Thomond Park. Dan Clohessy \/ INPHO<\/p>\n
WHEN YOU WATCHED Ireland\u2019s game plan unfold in Paris, you had to wonder whether it was really so complex that Edwin Edogbo couldn\u2019t have brought a bit of impetus to the matchday 23.<\/p>\n
The Munster lock came up short of getting a debut against France partly because \u201cthere\u2019s an art to be able to get up to speed as far as\u00a0international rugby is concerned,\u201d according to Andy Farrell.<\/p>\n
Injuries in recent years meant Edogbo hadn\u2019t been able to be part of Ireland camps before now, so he was deemed to still be finding his feet ahead of the France game. It\u2019s not difficult to understand that explanation and Paris would be one of the toughest places to make an international debut.<\/p>\n
Perhaps it was better that Edogbo was spared such a disappointing game for his first cap, but he obviously would have preferred to be involved. He\u2019s no kid at the age of 23 and when he has played for Munster in recent years, his powerful performances have suggested he\u2019s a good fit for Test rugby.<\/p>\n
In fact, given that Ireland struggled to win enough collisions against the French, the big\u00a0 Cobh man seems like the kind of player that they\u2019ve been missing at times.<\/p>\n
So it would be a surprise if Edgbo isn\u2019t unleashed this weekend when Italy come to town. Someone will have to miss out as a result, but Edogbo\u2019s skillset is worth getting into the mix as soon as possible. He\u2019s 127kg but he isn\u2019t just about size. He has good game understanding and instincts, as well as sharp technical skills around things like footwork and the breakdown.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s also the boost that any team gets from bringing truly fresh energy into the side, especially at a time when that team is struggling for inspiration.<\/p>\n
Some of Ireland\u2019s less experienced international players \u2013 Michael Milne, Nick Timoney, and Cian Prendergast –\u00a0 did well in Paris, while Stuart McCloskey was possibly their best performer. The Ulster centre is a 33-year-old but relatively new to the first-choice starting XV, and he impressed in November as well.<\/p>\n
This small crop of examples surely indicates to Farrell that changing the selection picture can have positive returns.<\/p>\n
One of the other potential debutants in this Six Nations is 21-year-old Ulster back row Byrn Ward, who has been called into the senior squad this week after playing for the Ireland XV side that was hammered by England A on Friday night.<\/p>\n
\n Bryn Ward playing for Ireland XV at Thomond Park. Dan Clohessy \/ INPHO<\/p>\n
Dan Clohessy \/ INPHO \/ INPHO\n<\/p>\n
Ward, still in Year 2 of the Ulster academy, was in Portugal with Farrell\u2019s group ahead of the Six Nations, joining as a development player and making a big impression by all accounts.<\/p>\n
Ward, who can play at number eight or openside, is not short on confidence and he seemingly got stuck into more seasoned players with aplomb. He\u2019s done that all season with Ulster, barrelling through would-be tacklers and winning collisions.<\/p>\n
That athleticism is key. You need as many elite specimens as possible to thrive in Test rugby, so the 118kg Ward catches the eye in that regard. His energy and attitude are things that Ireland might benefit from harnessing as well.<\/p>\n
Ward, the son of ex-Ireland flanker Andy, doesn\u2019t seem like the type to shy away from challenging established internationals. And that should be welcomed by Farrell and his coaches in an Irish context.<\/p>\n
Letting a confrontational young back row loose has led to great things in the past with the likes of Sean O\u2019Brien and Peter O\u2019Mahony.<\/p>\n
With Johnny Sexton and O\u2019Mahony retired, James Lowe left out last weekend, and Bundee Aki suspended \u2013 albeit already usurped by McCloskey \u2013 there was a sense of Ireland lacking a bit of fire in Paris.<\/p>\n
Every team needs a firestarter. Ambitious young players like Ward can be a breath of acrid air.<\/p>\n
There is a reason Farrell has been so loyal to his core group. They have performed brilliantly for him many times. Those players have reached heights that he\u2019s not sure the next in line can hit. But you never know until you give someone the chance.<\/p>\n
Most of Farrell\u2019s longstanding core players haven\u2019t got close to their best form yet this season, which isn\u2019t a huge surprise given that many of them were heavily involved in a Lions tour late into the summer.<\/p>\n
Not only that. Many of them have now spent year after year playing in big game after big game for Leinster and Ireland. Although they\u2019re well managed in the Irish system, that surely takes a long-term toll on your psychological and physical state.<\/p>\n
![\"andy-farrell\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1770691093_642_.JPEG\")
\n Ireland head coach Andy Farrell. \u00a9INPHO<\/p>\n
\u00a9INPHO\n<\/p>\n
Perhaps it\u2019s no wonder that some of Ireland\u2019s previously world-class players are lacking a little \u201cintent\u201d when it comes to the biggest games over the last couple of seasons. There is a huge amount being asked of them.<\/p>\n
France boss Fabien Galthi\u00e9 recently spoke about his ever-growing realisation that he needs to help his main men \u201cregenerate\u201d often enough that they can hit top form. The French don\u2019t bring many of their frontliners on summer tours, which allows them to step away from the Test frontline at different stages.<\/p>\n
Would Ireland leave the likes of Dan Sheehan, Garry Ringrose, and Tadhg Beirne at home for next summer\u2019s tour to Australia and New Zealand? It\u2019s hard to imagine simply because it has never happened before, but it might be good for them in a 2027 Six Nations and World Cup context.<\/p>\n
Perhaps certain Irish players aren\u2019t \u2018over the hill,\u2019 as is often suggested. Maybe they just need a little refresh.<\/p>\n
Farrell will probably just be hoping that their best form is around the corner after a slow build-up this season. He could do with some of his leading lights hitting peak form.<\/p>\n
This weekend, Ireland have the task of bouncing back and setting themselves on a positive trajectory for the rest of the Six Nations.<\/p>\n
Ireland are only one game in and there is a huge amount to play for.<\/p>\n
Three home wins and a good crack at England in London would settle the nerves.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"WHEN YOU WATCHED Ireland\u2019s game plan unfold in Paris, you had to wonder whether it was really so…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":289763,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[36261,138909,132379,61,138910,60,112],"class_list":{"0":"post-289762","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-bounce","9":"tag-bryn-ward","10":"tag-edwin-edogbo","11":"tag-ie","12":"tag-impetus","13":"tag-ireland","14":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/289762","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=289762"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/289762\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/289763"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=289762"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=289762"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=289762"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}