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17th January 2026
06:41pm GMT
If Andy Farrell had a stress-free Sunday planned, Leinster’s trip to France likely put an end to that.
Ireland’s Six Nations 2026 preparations took an early hit as Leinster Rugby saw Tadhg Furlong, Robbie Henshaw, and Tommy O’Brien all forced off injured during their Champions Cup clash away to Bayonne.
The timing could hardly be worse. Ireland open their Six Nations Championship campaign against France in Paris on February 5th just over two weeks away.
Despite the injury setbacks, Leinster showed trademark resilience to grind out a 22-13 win at the Stade Jean Dauger.
Leo Cullen’s side trailed for 74 minutes and struggled for attacking fluency, particularly through phase play. Heavy rain and Bayonne’s aggressive defence made forward momentum difficult, forcing Leinster to rely on patience and composure.
Their breakthrough eventually came late, with Harry Byrne’s inventive chip paving the way for the decisive score. It was far from pretty, but it extended Leinster’s remarkable unbeaten pool run to 31 matches and secured top spot in their Champions Cup group.
While Leinster will take huge confidence from their ability to find a way, Farrell’s focus will be elsewhere.
Furlong and Henshaw are central pillars of Ireland’s Six Nations ambitions, and any absence would significantly alter selection plans ahead of a daunting opener in Paris against the reigning champions.
Ireland are aiming to reclaim the Six Nations title and make it three championships in four years. For now, though, Farrell will be hoping Leinster’s injury list does not grow, and that today’s scare proves to be a false alarm rather than an early warning.
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