Tony Ward: Time is right for Kidney to shuffle deck
Related Articles
Despite the euphoria of the final minutes at Croke Park on Sunday, nobody in this Irish camp will be lulled into any false sense of security.
To have eked out a draw at the death was a remarkable achievement, given the trend of play for most of the game's opening hour. Prior to Cian Healy's barnstorming run -- which was a watershed moment in the game's momentum -- it was the Wallabies in control, dominating both the scrum and breakdown to an alarming degree.
In the end, perhaps there was an element of luck about snatching the draw, but when you battle the physical odds and run yourself into the ground then you earn whatever return comes your way. As ever, Declan Kidney was extremely generous in his post-match summation when insisting, "you cannot coach attitude". We all know what he means, but equally, I would contend it is the main man who is responsible for inculcating that never-say-die attitude into the squad.
At times, particularly in the opening quarter of the second half, the Grand Slam champions were hanging on by a thread. An honourable face-saving defeat appeared as good as it could possibly get. Enter young Healy and suddenly in the final quarter it was game on.
And there is absolutely no way it was a case of the Wallabies taking their foot off the gas. For them, this was the key piece in a Home Nations Grand Slam attempt that would mean so much to a team and management that are under severe pressure back home.
Far from Australia easing off, it was Ireland upping the ante when it really mattered in the back straight. For that they deserve the utmost credit. As Brian O'Driscoll articulated best, "this one was about bottle". Certainly it will be the Irish with the greater spring in their step when returning to training today.
The real pity is that, unlike last year when Canada preceded New Zealand and Argentina, the visit of the Fijians to Dublin wasn't first up. You can have all the training camps and quality training sessions you like, but there is no substitute for the real thing. And for all the unknown variables ahead of last Sunday's game, lack of match practice and sharpness was always going to be the greatest obstacle for Ireland. Here the Wallabies had a huge advantage and it showed.
Had the Fijian game been at the start, it would have given Kidney the chance to give his starting XV a trial run. The flip side of that particular coin, however, would have seen it remove the opportunity to now widen the net and make measured changes for the middle -- and relatively easiest -- Test of the three. Kidney will name that team tomorrow and while there will be changes, possibly to all six sectors -- three lines of the scrum, half back, centre and back three -- it would be bordering on reckless to field a side that is close to a shadow or 'A' selection.
The game here never has, and I doubt ever will, enjoy that luxury. Kidney knows there are issues to be addressed, not least the scrum but also the breakdown, where lack of speed to -- and lack of cohesive physicality at -- the scrap cost us dear. Expect a heavy emphasis on scrummaging in the coming days. And while Healy, Jerry Flannery, Donncha O'Callaghan, Stephen Ferris and David Wallace all made their mark in broken play, John Hayes (albeit with good reason), Paul O'Connell and Jamie Heaslip were somewhat muted.
The early seven-pointer conceded was a big psychological blow. Forward colleagues in the coaching fraternity might not agree, but I love to see a back line given the freedom to play it as they see it from the off. Yes, Ronan O'Gara's attempted pass to O'Driscoll was a touch heavy. But the rationale behind it was correct, with opposition full-back Adam Ashley-Cooper having to stand deep for the more standard O'Gara clearance kick up the line.
The other issue -- which bears comparison to the Irish soccer team during the same period of the game at the same venue the previous night -- is kicking away possession much too often and far too cheaply. When the ball is kicked away, save for the occasional last-ditch clearance under pressure, it should be with the intention of regaining possession. Here, the chase should be every bit as important as the kick. At times, with many different players at fault, we were guilty of loose and inaccurate kicking, thereby inviting the Wallaby backs to run at us time and again. Inevitably, poor kicking comes at a price and it cost us when Rocky Elsom went over in the second half.
On the plus side for Ireland, apart from the obvious bottom-line result, the collective manner in which they dug out the draw was a real credit to them. The equalising score oozed good organisation while in a crisis, composure under pressure and great self-belief. Full credit too to Alan Gaffney for identifying the potential Wallaby weakness in advance and then ensuring Tomas O'Leary (with the slickest cut-out pass), Paddy Wallace (running a clever decoy line) and O'Driscoll executed the pre-rehearsed move with clinical efficiency. Full credit too to the under-pressure scrum for locking it out when controlled ball was the most essential ingredient of all.
As for this Saturday and the Fijians, there is some room for manoeuvre. Kidney knows better than any that if the squad system is to retain credibility then he must unleash most, if not all, of Sunday's replacements from the start. Were the call mine, and with the luckless Luke Fitzgerald out for up to six months through injury, I'd give six of the seven replacements a start, with Tom Court set for inclusion on the hour. Healy and Hayes need another run while the time is right to give Sean Cronin his first start, giving Flannery's calf another week to rest.
Leo Cullen should come into the second row, most probably alongside O'Connell, with Denis Leamy starting in the back row for either Ferris or Heaslip. Eoin Reddan and Jonathan Sexton should come in as a pairing, leaving it to Kidney to design his preferred combinations behind. He could recall Andrew Trimble to wide on the left, thereby playing Keith Earls at centre or indeed full-back, with either Trimble or Rob Kearney on the left wing.
Option
There is also the option of the in-form Shane Horgan back on the right, with Tommy Bowe in the centre. That would see either Paddy Wallace or maybe O'Driscoll at inside-centre. All that said, he could opt to give Wallace and O'Driscoll another run. I know the skipper will not agree, but he should take the opportunity to take a timely rest and pass O'Connell the arm band.
Second-guessing Kidney is difficult at the best of times and on this occasion, given the context of the Fijian match -- at mid point in the series -- it is nigh on impossible. Sunday's draw may have provided a timely boost to squad morale but, hopefully, has also brought with it a sense of perspective of the work still required before New Zealand 2011.
- Tony Ward
Irish Independent
