Landmark to forget for Ulster as province’s players shut out of Ireland's match day squad against France

It marks a new low for the currently misfiring Ravenhill squad as since the competition became the Six Nations in 2000, Ulster have always had representation in the national side.

Iain Henderson was the most likely Ulster candidate to have been included in the match day 23 as Ireland open the defence of their Championship in Marseille, but Andy Farrell has left the 31-year-old out of his plans.

Even though the Ireland coach has broken new ground by naming six forwards on his bench — France have done the same — there is still no place for the Ulster skipper who started in last October’s World Cup Quarter-Final defeat to the All Blacks.

As with Henderson, the five other Ulstermen in Farrell’s wider squad, Tom Stewart, Tom O’Toole, Nick Timoney, Stuart McCloskey and Jacob Stockdale, will not be featuring tomorrow unless other players are forced to drop out of the squad.

The provincial break down of the 23-player match squad sees Leinster provide 16 players, Munster five and Connacht two.

Leinster’s Joe McCarthy makes his first Six Nations start and joins Tadhg Beirne in the engine room while James Ryan and Ryan Baird join Jack Conan for Ireland’s first ever 6-2 split on the bench.

Jack Crowley starts at 10 for the retired Johnny Sexton and winger Calvin Nash is in for the injured Mack Hansen.

Meanwhile in November, Ireland will face New Zealand in a World Cup rematch.

The All Blacks have confirmed their 2024 schedule with a date in Dublin in the diary for November 9, a week after they take on England in Twickenham.

The IRFU has not yet confirmed the full autumn roster, but it’s expected that Joe Schmidt and his Wallabies will also be on the itinerary later in the month.

But, there’s no doubt that a renewal of a rivalry that’s built steadily across the last decade will be the highlight.