Ireland coach plays down speculation linking Simon Easterby with Wales vacancy

Ireland’s fitness coach Aled Walters has played down speculation linking interim head coach Simon Easterby with the Wales vacancy.

After losing to France and Italy to make it 14 successive Test defeats, Wales parted company with boss Warren Gatland on Monday, and former Scarlets captain Easterby is seen as one of the frontrunners for the job.

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!”

Speculation

And he said: “He’s that good a coach that there’s always going to be speculation in professional sport, and I think that’s just human nature.

“There’s been a change now with Wales and the fact that he lives there, he’s always going to be linked, and that’s 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.”

Easterby went on to coach the Scarlets after retiring as a player and still lives in Wales.

Defence coach

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.

Walters also confirmed that Tadgh Furlong has “still got a bit of work to do” as the prop bids to be fit for Ireland’s Six Nations clash with Wales.

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’re good, and it’s simply a bit of management for Tadgh, Calen as well.

“We’ll have to make a call (about Furlong) during the week, he’s still got a bit of work to do. We’d be anticipating if he’s not there he’s close, anyway.”

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