Ireland has suffered a big blow ahead of its Six Nations title defense with prop Tadhg Furlong ruled out through injury for the team’s opener against England.

Millions of people in Ireland and northern parts of the U.K. are being urged to stay at home as hurricane-force winds disabled power networks.

Technicians from England and France are set to help restore power to homes and businesses across Ireland following Storm Eowyn. More than 300,000 remain without power across Ireland following record-setting wind speeds.

Thursday’s team selection will give pointers as to how England intend to deal with rugby's controversial new laws

Ireland tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong has returned home to Ireland from the squad’s training base in Portugal and has been ruled out of facing England in the opening match of this year’s Six Nations in Dublin on Saturday.

Prop Tadhg Furlong is out of Ireland’s Guinness Six Nations opener against England through injury. The 32-year-old Leinster front-rower will sit out Saturday’s game at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin after suffering a recurrence of a calf problem during training in Portugal.

Storm Eowyn caused havoc Friday as it battered Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland, killing one person and leaving hundreds of thousands of homes without power, flights grounded and schools shut, officials said.

More rainy and windy weather battered the U.K. and Ireland on Sunday, with a gust of 82 mph (132 kph) recorded at Predannack in southwest England. It was part of a new system named Storm Herminia by weather authorities in Spain, which was bracing for severe impact.

This is a huge week in the career of Steve Borthwick. Opening a Six Nations campaign as head coach of England is a big enough deal in any case but this

Thursday’s team selection will give pointers as to how England intend to deal with rugby's controversial new laws

Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong has been ruled out of Saturday's Six Nations opener against England after suffering a recurrence of a calf strain in training, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) said on Sunday.