As the World Cup looms, this is the time of year when the night-sweats start afflicting rugby's hypochondriacs.

Ireland's injury profile remains a major worry: three of the country's world-class players -- Stephen Ferris, Jerry Flannery and Rob Kearney -- are currently sidelined.

Another -- Paul O'Connell -- has had repeated injury problems for a year. Nightly, thousands offer novenas that Brian O'Driscoll's hamstrings will continue to function well beyond September.

And Ireland's front-liners still face another few weeks of intensive combat. How Declan Kidney sleeps soundly is anyone's guess.

But then, the coach will simply smile and say that he can't control the complex mechanics of every single collision his players encounter in training and match situations.

His biggest headache is selecting 30 players for the biggest competition of their lives. It will be the most important decision he will ever make as Ireland boss.

And few would relish standing in his shoes when he has to deliver the gut-wrenching news to the unfortunate ones that miss out.

Unlike four years ago, Kidney does not possess the luxury of a four-year contract with which to arm himself against personal failure. This is his only shot. Fail and he may well lose his job.

He knows he must rely on old favourites, but not if they threaten to break down with injury at the first fence. And certainly not at the expense of the form horses.

Four years ago, Ireland's World Cup flops were loaded with excess baggage -- Brian Carney, anyone? -- and one could argue that the campaign was so utterly flawed that none of the famously omitted quartet of Jamie Heaslip, Tommy Bowe, Kearney and Luke Fitzgerald would have made a jot of difference.

But at least they would have provided an element of competition. Kidney must get this balance right when he selects his World Cup combination; the establishment must be insured against complacency by hungry shadows.

There can be no passengers. And so, this magnificent seven are in danger of becoming an insignificant seven come World Cup time. For them, the clock is ticking. For those hoping to benefit, opportunity is knocking.

Geordan Murphy

Ireland's most prodigiously talented player has suffered rotten luck when it comes to the run-in to World Cups.

Eight years ago, a broken leg sustained at Murrayfield ruled him out of the tournament in Australia.

Four years down the track, the Leicester enigma endured a final trial at the same venue but, although selected, was effectively sidelined until it was too late to rescue Ireland's dismal World Cup campaign.

This time around, a broken foot sustained on club duty last January has allowed the 32-year-old little leeway to make the cut for what would be a swansong World Cup.

"The Irish squad meet up on June 27 and my goal is to be fit for that and to able to go and train with the guys," he says. "It'll be very difficult, but that's my goal."

Prospects: Much depends on his rival Rob Kearney's own recovery from long-term injury. With Luke Fitzgerald a certainty to travel, this pair are battling for one berth.

Fergus McFadden

Any coach in any team sport who maintains that form always takes precedence when it comes to selection is talking rot.

Fergus McFadden was one such casualty when, despite a fine debut against Italy and a try-scoring appearance against France, he found himself out of favour thereafter in a team palpably struggling to find its form.

The self-acknowledged benefits of being a versatile member of the Irish squad subsequently told against him as Paddy Wallace maintained his position on the bench for Kidney's men, while Andrew Trimble emerged from outside the 22 to snaffle the Leinster man's place.

With little wriggle room at club level either, McFadden's opportunities to push his claims have been limited now that Wallace is seemingly a shoo-in, notwithstanding a large clump of Irish supporters who question that particular call.

Prospects: May only get one chance to define his credentials during the warm-up matches in August and will need to grab the opportunity with both hands.

Jerry Flannery

Flannery's situation is arguably the most serious of all the leading contenders, such has been his run of bad luck with injuries.

Compounding the problem for the Munster man is the fact that every time he seems to be on the brink of returning to full fitness, a related injury flares up as he tests his debilitated body to the limit.

So, can Kidney afford to bring such a player to a World Cup?

With three other viable berths capable of being occupied by Damien Varley, Sean Cronin and current incumbent Rory Best, the coach does have natural fall-back options.

Flannery's last medical bulletin posited some positive news and publicly he has been putting a brave face on his current status but, privately, there are fears that the 32-year-old will struggle to overcome his calf problems.

Prospects: Flannery will have one last shot at making the cut and must answer it rigorously to earn a place in the squad.

Peter Stringer

Stringer's enduring competitiveness ensures that one of the most tightly contested areas of contentious selection may go down to the wire.

However, life has been complicated for the whirling whippet with the emergence of the precocious talent of Conor Murray at Munster, a breakthrough that has forged his name strongly in many people's World Cup picks.

And the timely return to full fitness of Tomas O'Leary means that Stringer will find it difficult to impress his Munster coach Tony McGahan enough to earn a start for what remains of the season.

Hence, finding a start for Ireland will be doubly difficult. With Eoin Reddan and Isaac Boss also ahead of him in the standings, Stringer seems at this stage to be cast on the outside looking in.

Prospects: Given the frenzy surrounding Murray's promotion within the Munster ranks, Stringer is arguably fifth in the race for the three scrum-half berths and, given Kidney's treatment of him during the Six Nations, only injury to others can alter this state of affairs.

John Hayes

When 104-times capped Hayes was left out for the November international against South Africa, it was the first time in over a decade that he had been omitted from a Test squad when fit.

Kidney was at pains to stress that this did not mean that Hayes' career in green was at end, but the writing did seem to be on the wall for the veteran of two World Cups.

Tony Buckley's uncertainty as the first-choice prop and Tom Court's inconsistency have ensured Hayes' hopes aren't completely dead in the water.

However, you have to feel that for a punishing campaign in September, Kidney is likely to go for the younger men and it is quite possible that Marcus Horan could also lose out for this reason.

Ireland's line-out has been less consistent when the human forklift is not around but is this a reason to cast another, more mobile competitor aside?

Prospects: Not looking good, especially as Kidney will need to give all his props significant game time during the World Cup; may not even get a chance in the warm-ups to impress.

Stephen Ferris

The Ulster behemoth has admitted that there is little, if any, cartilage left as he continues his uphill fight in the battle of wounded knee.

He has already missed several deadlines, tentatively set by a series of medical staff within the Irish and provincial set-ups, so there are clearly fears about his future well-being. Indeed, Ferris has also admitted that his career will certainly be foreshortened as a result of his chronic injury woes.

Again, Kidney must weigh up a delicate balance between having a world-class enforcer of brutish physicality on board against the prospect of his star performer breaking down inopportunely.

He is responding to rehab but he desperately requires further rehabilitation, followed by fitness tests and finally match practice. Is there time?

Prospects: Fully fit, Ferris starts for Ireland. If not, he can hardly take a seat on the plane when so many other back-rowers can stand up to the stresses and strains of a World Cup campaign.

Shane Jennings

Jennings was ruled out of the World Cup due to injury four years ago and this time around he is fighting fit after again recovering from injury, yet he may once more miss out.

The Leinster back-rower has been hampered in his attempts to make a statement to a not always convinced national coach this season, with injury and lack of selection edging him out of the Leinster picture in recent times.

Yet Leinster supporters were quick to point out the magnificent impact made by the former Leicester openside when he came on at a crucial stage of the Heineken Cup semi-final victory against Toulouse.

How crucial could such an impact player be at the World Cup?

However, Kidney already has a surfeit of options here and the jostling for airline seats will resemble the last call for a Ryanair flight to Fuerteventura.

Prospects: If selected to start in Leinster's big dates later this month, he could do enough to at least demand inclusion in a final trial.

Jennings was ruled out of the World Cup due to injury four years ago and this time around he is fighting fit after again recovering from injury, yet he may once more miss out.

The Leinster back-rower has been hampered in his attempts to make a statement to a not always convinced national coach this season, with injury and lack of selection edging him out of the Leinster picture in recent times.

Yet Leinster supporters were quick to point out the magnificent impact made by the former Leicester openside when he came on at a crucial stage of the Heineken Cup semi-final victory against Toulouse.

How crucial could such an impact player be at the World Cup?

However, Kidney already has a surfeit of options here and the jostling for airline seats will resemble the last call for a Ryanair flight to Fuerteventura.

Prospects: If selected to start in Leinster's big dates later this month, he could do enough to at least demand inclusion in a final trial.

- David Kelly