PETER O’Mahony has been portrayed as the titular character from ‘Saving Private Ryan’ as Ireland aim to save their Six Nations hopes.
Impressionist Steven Connolly created a brilliant parody of the Steven Spielberg masterpiece with POM in mind as the central character though his fellow retirees also feature prominently.
The 35-year-old is actually pegged as the young private deemed worthy of rescue from the trenches[/caption]
Cian Healy and Conor Murray are deployed as members of ‘Scrum company’[/caption]
Though there’s no happy ending for them on this occasion[/caption]
Healy’s scrum cap is replaced by a classic World War II helmet[/caption]
Conor Murray is a natural fit as Tom Hanks’ main character Captain Miller given he possesses movie star good looks.
But Cian Healy also fits in hilariously seamlessly thanks to the tech innovation Connolly uses.
The 1998 flick, which won five Oscars, was famously partly filmed in Ireland.
Its iconic opening scene brutally depicting the storming of Normandy on D-Day was shot on Curracloe Beach, County Wexford.
Back in the here and now of 2025, the real O’Mahony, Murray and Healy will be hoping they can complete a bit of a Mission Improbable by leading Ireland to the title on Super Saturday.
In order to get their hands on the Six Nations trophy for an unprecedented third year on the spin, Simon Easterby’s men need to secure a bonus point victory over their hosts Italy before rooting for Scottish AND Welsh wins.
Outhalf Jack Crowley is one of six changes to the side as he comes in for his first Six Nations start of the campaign in place of Sam Prendergast.
Garry Ringrose also returns from suspension while James Lowe and Mack Hansen are back from injury, while Jack Conan and James Ryan get starts in the pack.
Healy has been omitted from the matchday 23 in favour of Jack Boyle, meaning the 37-year-old brought down the curtain on his career last week with a try in what was his 137th appearance.
Easterby said of that decision: “I had a conversation with Cian in the early part of the week.
“It is tough but we have very limited time to get players these types of experiences.
“So the likes of Jack Boyle who has come in on the bench, he has been really good in training, he’s been excellent.
“We don’t have many opportunities at international level for meaningful games to get game experiences, get guys game time, so that was the conversation I had with Cian.
“I thought last week was so fitting for all three of them, the send off they had, how the squad recognised that internally, how it was recognised externally in the Aviva and the nation.
“There have been loads of messages coming in from people in terms of what they’ve given the jersey.
“Cian has been at the forefront of that.
“He was obviously disappointed but he understood the rationale behind it and he has been brilliant in the week.
“He will only make Jack’s role that much more effective by being the best team-mate that he can be. Cian gets it.”
After a bitter defeat we follow our 3 legendary centurions Conor Murray, Peter O'Mahony and Cian Healy on their last mission to Rome and we bid an emotional farewell…#ITAvIRE pic.twitter.com/x6KlDdtdiu
— Steven Connolly Impressionist (@StevenPConnolly) March 14, 2025
FURY AT FRENCH
The usually mild-mannered Easterby also tore into French counterpart Fabien Galthie for creating a ‘s**tstorm’ of controversy around Antoine Dupont’s season-ending injury.
Dupont suffered an ACL injury in their win over Ireland when his knee buckled when hit by a combination of Tadhg Beirne and Andrew Porter in a clearout.
The incident was reviewed by the referee who deemed it a rugby incident, while the citing commissioner agreed when Galthie reported the duo after the game.
But his comments have led to social media abuse being directed at his players, and Easterby has hit out at Galthie and the French squad for causing it.
