3 Players Who Will Not Feature for Ireland in 2017 6 Nations

Ireland ended the 2016 Six Nations deposed as champions but with much to look forward to.

Given the depth of their injury problems going into the tournament, they can reflect on a draw with Wales and one-point defeat to France as games that could have gone in their favour on another day.

Their loss at Twickenham was to an England side very much on the up, and there were several names to emerge thanks to the bodies in the treatment room who have shown themselves capable at Test level.

CJ Stander, Josh van der Flier, Stuart McCloskey and Ultan Dillane all looked at home in the green jersey, and they will be pushing the more established names hard for starting spots when Joe Schmidt has a fully fit player pool to pick from.

It is the early stages of a transitional period for Ireland. This was their first Six Nations without Paul O’Connell, and having lost Sean O’Brien and Peter O’Mahony to long-term injuries as well, that weight of experience was hard to replace in one go.

But given the emergence of the next generation, there could be more names to make way in 2017 as the buildup to the next World Cup gathers momentum.

Perhaps the bigger question is who the man in charge of selection will be.

Schmidt has hinted, per the Irish Independent, that he will ponder his next move after Ireland’s summer tour of South Africa.

Uncertainty around the New Zealander’s long-term commitment to the Irish job will only serve to keep the players guessing as to what lies in store for them, and there could be a few who have been firm favourites of the former Leinster boss now concerned for their own international futures.

Here are three men we may not see feature in the green of Ireland for the 2017 Six Nations.

Johnny Sexton’s understudy has chosen to leave Leinster, where he sits behind the same man in the pecking order, in a bid to improve himself and prove that he’s worthy of taking Sexton’s coveted jersey, per David Kelly of the Irish Independent.

The 27-year old needs to spend his prime years playing rather than waiting for his chance, and he is set to join Bordeaux next season.

But Ireland may not look favourably on him leaving the Irish system, and Kelly reported Ireland have an unwritten policy of not considering those playing abroad for selection. Therefore, Madigan’s move could see him relegated beneath Ulsterman Paddy Jackson in the No. 10 standings.

It is a calculated gamble, but it could well see the departing Leinster man miss out in 2017.

The job of replacing Brian O’Driscoll in the Irish No. 13 jersey was always going to be a tall order.

Largely, Jared Payne has made a decent fist of the toughest gig in the game.

But we may have glimpsed a future beyond the New Zealand-born Ulster star when Ireland fielded Stuart McCloskey and Robbie Henshaw in the midfield with Payne out injured.

The pair played well and looked threatening against England, with Henshaw in the 13 jersey seeming to get more green grass to gallop into at times.

Add to that duo the emerging talents of Garry Ringrose of Leinster, who will be linked up with Henshaw next season at the province, and the 30-year-old Payne may well find himself out of the starting lineup should the current progress of these young men continue.

Leinster back-rower Rhys Ruddock has never let anyone down when called upon.

But the son of former Wales head coach Mike is arguably in the most competitive fight for places anywhere in this Irish setup.

This season, Ireland have been shorn of Sean O’Brien, Peter O’Mahony and Chris Henry. Ruddock has been among their deputies, but we have also seen CJ Stander play a blinder in his first championship, with Josh van der Flier also acquitting himself admirably when called upon.

Tommy O’Donnell is also ahead of Ruddock in the back row pecking order and, when every man is fit, the 25-year-old may well struggle to even get sight of the Irish training headquarters.