Ireland explain what Tadhg Furlong must do to face Wales

Tadhg Furlong has “still got a bit of work to do” as the prop bids to be fit for Ireland’s Guinness Six Nations clash with Wales, head of athletic performance Aled Walters has said.

Walters also gave a positive update on winger Mack Hansen and second row Joe McCarthy, with the pair having returned to full training, and said that, as with Furlong, “a bit of management” was required with regard to captain Caelen Doris.

Furlong and McCarthy were out injured for the 27-22 victory over England at the Aviva Stadium with which Ireland opened their campaign, with Hansen then joining them on the sidelines for last Sunday’s 32-18 win against Scotland at Murrayfield.

The team next take on Wales at the Principality Stadium a week on Saturday, and Walters told a press conference on Friday: “Mack and Joe are training fully, so they are good, and it’s simply a bit of management for Tadhg, Caelen as well.

“We will have to make a call (about Furlong) during the week. He has still got a bit of work to do. We would be anticipating if he is not there he is close, anyway.”

When then asked about Doris’ situation, Walters said: “It’s just general. There has been two pretty attritional Test matches, and the way Calen plays it is typical that you are going to you are going to pick up little bangs and bruises. It’s just that really.”

After losing to France and Italy to make it 14 successive Test defeats, Wales parted company with boss Warren Gatland on Monday, and Ireland interim head coach Simon Easterby has been linked with the vacancy.

Welshman Walters emphasised Easterby making that move was something he would “definitely not” like to see, adding with a smile: “I’m very Irish, despite my accent, I’m fully Irish!”

He added: “He is that good a coach that there is always going to be speculation in professional sport, and that is just human nature. There has been a change now with Wales and the fact that he lives there, he is always going to be linked and that is the quality of the man.

“But credit to him, and credit to the group, nothing has been said about it and we just carry on preparing for Wales as we would normally.”

Former Ireland flanker Easterby was Scarlets captain during his playing career and went on to coach the team.

Having previously been Ireland forwards coach, the 49-year-old has been defence coach since 2021 under Andy Farrell and has stepped in for him as boss with Farrell taking charge of the British and Irish Lions for this summer’s tour to Australia.