Andy Farrell goes with a tried and trusted formula for Autumn internationals

On the whole, continuity was the theme on Wednesday when Andy Farrell named his squad for next month’s Nations Championship, Ireland’s head coach largely sticking with his tried and trusted. “It may not be especially exciting,” writes Gerry Thornley of the selection, “but for the most part a relatively settled squad is generally a sign of strength.” There is fresh blood, though, in the shape of Ulster pair James McNabney and Jamie Benson.

John O’Sullivan profiles McNabney, the 23-year-old who has impressed since returning from the ACL injury that ruled him out for all of last season. He’s “some specimen of a man” said Farrell of the 6ft 5in, 18-and-a-half stone Ballymena native who was a member of the under-20s’ Six Nations Grand Slam-winning side in 2022.

It’ll be a busy old spell for our international teams, John bringing news that an Ireland XV will play Fiji A in Cork on November 20th in a double-header which will also see the Irish under-20 side take on Scotland.

It’s busy on the club front too, John previewing the meeting of old buddies Leinster and Munster on Saturday in the URC. “What a difference a year makes,” he says, 11 players from the matchday squads from Munster’s win in Croke Park last season unavailable through injury, and another six no longer contracted to either province.

In Gaelic games, Gordon Manning reports on the findings of the Gaelic Players Association’s Annual Member Survey, one of the more eye-catching ones the 63 per cent of players supportive of playing Friday night games - if certain conditions are put in place.

And in his column, Ciarán Murphy bemoans the ever-increasing loss of Gaelic football’s brightest stars to Aussie Rules, Finnbarr Roarty, the 2025 Young Player of the Year, the latest. “We have had winters where the spectre of our best young players being spirited away from us has loomed large, but this might actually be the time to start panicking.”

In football, what’s the latest on Manchester United? Well, let’s just say, ‘carnage’. As if being mullered 4-1 by Como in the Champions League wasn’t enough to be getting on with, captain Bruno Fernandes, who has been decidedly abysmal of late, had a dig or three at gaffer Michael Carrick in the aftermath. Mikel Arteta’s crew were somewhat more content after their draw away to Bayern Munich.

Finally, make sure you don’t miss David Gorman’s excerpts from a new book by Siobhán Doyle, Irish Sport in 100 Objects. From the 1527 Statute of Galway, which prohibited the sport of hurling, to the saddle Rachael Blackmore used to win the 2021 Aintree Grand National, it’s a very lovely trip through our sporting journey down the ages.

TV Watch: Séamus Power is in the field for the Bermuda Championship, and if he can find anything like the form that won him the tournament back in 2022, he’ll move that bit closer to securing full PGA Tour status for 2027 (Sky Sports Golf, 6pm). Premier Sports and TNT Sports have a bunch of Europa League and Conference League games this afternoon and evening, among them Celtic’s home game against Celta Vigo at 8pm (Premier Sports 1 and TNT Sports 3).