Kidney will have to leave big names off world cup plane
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So, it's the calm (Magners League) after the storm (Six Nations); though with the Heineken Cup on the horizon, there's the promise of even more explosive action just around the corner.
The Magners makes for a little bit of a lull, providing time to catch our breath before the best sides in Europe go head to head. Mind you, with Munster and Leinster set for a Limerick showdown this day week in the league, we might just revise that summation.
But, for now, it is time to take stock and see just where we're at moving towards New Zealand 2011 and the big kick-off in Auckland on September 9.
Put yourself in Declan Kidney's shoes for a minute. No Triple Crown, no Championship, no Grand Slam, a third-place finish, with a three-wins-from-five return. Is there grounds for optimism? Absolutely.
We are a long way from being the finished article needed to compete with the Southern Hemisphere three, but as a serious work in progress Ireland have shown enough to offer real hope. Last Saturday's superb performance against England has raised the bar and, with it, public expectation. The talk now is of a World Cup semi-final slot being the minimum requirement.
In order to do that we would probably need to top our pool, which would mean having to beat Australia six days after our opening joust with 'Eddie's Eagles'. We'd also need to trump Russia and Italy -- it's a big ask.
inaugural
Win the pool and we would most likely face the Welsh (providing they get the better of the Samoans and Fijians) in a return to Wellington -- the scene of the last World Cup clash on Kiwi soil between the Celtic nations in the inaugural tournament back in 1987.
Lose to the Wallabies and it all but guarantees we play the champion Springboks in the same stadium the following day. In that scenario, I know who my money would be on, even at this marathon distance.
Put simply, Australia on September 17 is the key to Ireland's World Cup ambitions. Win that and the Italian challenge -- which won't be easy -- will look after itself.
So where to for Kidney now? Well, his focus will be on putting in place a squad of 30 to cover every possible permutation.
It is a difficult balancing act given the need for three specialists at hooker, scrum-half and out-half. It is the only logical reason I can see why Paddy Wallace stayed on the replacement bench throughout the Six Nations.
On the assumption the Ulster man travels as the third specialist out-half, he will also provide cover at inside-centre.
You would expect the 22 named for duty against England to travel to New Zealand. To that, add Jerry Flannery (if fit) and Tomas O'Leary alongside Wallace as specialist cover at hooker, scrum-half and out-half respectively.
Should Flannery fail to make it, then it will be Damien Varley next up, with Isaac Boss covering the base of the scrum as well. That leaves just six positions to be filled.
Here is where Kidney must earn his corn. Does he go for a 16-14 forward-back split, or is 17-13 the more sensible option, given the guaranteed attritional rate up front?
Either way, take your pick from the these: Tony Buckley, John Hayes, Mick O'Driscoll, Devin Toner, Donnacha Ryan, Rhys Ruddock, Kevin McLaughlin, Shane Jennings, John Muldoon, Stephen Ferris, Fergus McFadden, Luke Fitzgerald, Rob Kearney, Shane Horgan, Johne Murphy, Gavin Duffy, Geordan Murphy, Rob Kearney, Varley and Boss.
Twenty into six simply doesn't go. Of the 20, Ferris is a cert, as is Fitzgerald (despite a poor Six Nations). Either Hayes or Buckley (possibly both), Kearney or Geordan Murphy (taking both back three players, if fit, would appear a luxury Kidney can't afford) not to mention Mick O'Driscoll and/or Ryan should also get the nod.
Quite where that leaves Jennings and McFadden (a player who started the Six Nations against Italy), I don't know. It is of course the type of problem any coach would crave, but it is a problem nonetheless. So there is so much to play for between now and the season's end, with pretty much every game -- in the Magners and Heineken Cup -- representing a trial (in front of the watching Kidney) of sorts.
Many lessons were learned on the road to France '07, not least regarding match fitness (or lack thereof) and of course in terms of talking ourselves up.
Ultimately we set it up for the big fall, and by God did we tumble. Four years on and we are back where we want to be at this stage in the build-up, with hugely experienced players in so many key positions. This is their time, their opportunity and they know it. Only they can make it happen.
We will not be meeting England in Pool C, but whatever it is about the sight of the white jersey that seems to send these Irish players into overdrive, Kidney needs to tap into it for clashes against other rivals.
Let the scrap for those precious plane seats begin -- there will be losers, and big-name ones at that.
- Clontarf RFC will tog out today in a specially commissioned pink floral jersey against UL Bohemians at Castle Avenue. The jersey was commissioned as part of a local Action Breast Cancer fundraising drive, which includes a pre-match ladies lunch, collection points and the sale of replica jerseys and T-shirts.
- Tony Ward
Irish Independent
