INTERNATIONAL NEWS:A 30-MAN Ireland squad to be trimmed to a match day 22 today will have heartened Irish supporters as well as coach Declan Kidney.
Brian O’Driscoll is included, Keith Earls too. Both were injury doubts late last week but the two have pulled through their respective hamstring and ankle injuries, enough at least to generate optimism in the Ireland camp that they will be available against the Springboks in Saturday’s opening Test.
Of those who were released to the provinces last week, there were four disappointments, with Shane Horgan, Isaac Boss, Mike Ross and Bret Wilkinson omitted for this week’s opening game.
“Well, he’ll (O’Driscoll) do modified stuff today,” said manager Paul McNaughton.
“He’ll be running but he won’t be taking part in the full team runs against opposition and we’d hope he’ll get to full participation tomorrow. We expect him to be fit and strong.”
And Earls?
“Yes we expect him to take full part in training today,” added McNaughton.
Ireland’s injury profile at one stage looked like hamstringing Kidney’s broad plans but it’s the Springboks who have been riddled with player withdrawals and following the Currie Cup final last weekend some 13 players have had to declare their unavailability, the two most recent flanker Schalk Burger and centre Juan de Jongh.
Burger, particularly, would have received a warm welcome in Dublin since his fondling of Luke Fitzgerald’s eyes during the last Lions trip.
He broke a rib, while de Jongh suffered a hairline fracture to his left ankle in last week’s cup final. Adi Jacobs has been called in as a replacement centre and Deon Stegmann and Zane Kirchner have been added to restore the touring squad number to 30.
In all captain John Smit, Jaque Fourie, Wynand Olivier, Andries Bekker, Fourie du Preez, Heinrich Brussow, JP Pieterson, Gurthro Steenkamp, Butch James, BJ Botha, Ricky Januarie, Burger and de Jongh are injured, while Francois Steyn, the Racing Metro utility back, will not be released by his club as the match does not fall inside the IRB window.
Former Munster centre Jean de Villiers is also said to be struggling with injury since last week.
“It’s a bit of a mystery at the present time, particularly not quite knowing where they are,” said Ireland assistant Alan Gaffney of the Springbok attack.
“But they still have a threat there. (Francois) Hougaard has proved himself . . . it depends on who they play in the back three. We don’t know who they will play at 13.
“Adi Jacobs will be another contender for that position. But in the back three I suppose they’ve got (Brian) Habana, who picks himself . . . there’s an attacking ability there. Obviously we don’t know how they are going to play the game but if they intend to run the ball there is plenty of pace and plenty of ability. There are threats for sure.
“They’re starting to get back. Botha is back and adds a bit of substance to their side. He’s like (Brad)Thorne with New Zealand. It’s a strong pack we know that. It depends on who they play in the front row, whether it’s “The Beast” (Tendai Mtawarira) . . . no doubt they will want to compete up front and will be very physical in the way they approach the game”
Both teams, as Gaffney, puts it wish to “get back on the horse.” Ireland have lost three Test matches in succession, going back to the game against Scotland in the final Six Nations match, while South Africa came third from three in the Tri-Nations.
Gaffney, however, declines to look back at the summer tour as a failure. Disappointing results certainly but it was confirmation too of the aggressive, mobile style of rugby Ireland feel they have to adopt. In tandem with referees now favouring attacking teams at the breakdown, Kidney and Gaffney have already made moves to reconfigure thinking in the team. It was not being sold yesterday as a seismic shift in philosophy but Gaffney certainly spoke of an Ireland team determined to play a style of rugby that will adopt many of the traits of the Southern Hemisphere sides.
“We haven’t had much experience. But we said over there (New Zealand) it was a game we really want to play ourselves and we are pretty keen to do that. We know we have a mobile team. We don’t have a group of huge individuals. We’ve got a side who are very, very skilful. A game such as that would suit us ideally.
“We have a forward pack that can compete and are physical. But the other part of the game, I think does suit us. We just got to get more experience playing that game and get confident in what’s being done. There are a few modifications and changes in place that Declan has done, which all the players have embraced and we’re very happy to run down that path.”
Jamie Heaslip has spoken before of his preference for a ball in hand running game. Make what you like of it. Does it mean a more natural running outhalf like Jonathan Sexton will be preferred to a natural kicker like Ronan O’Gara? We’ll find out today. The world champions are arriving. Ireland are tweaking their style. Not bad for November.
IRELAND SQUAD (30):R Best, T Bowe, T Buckley, T Court, S Cronin, G D'Arcy, G Duffy, K Earls, S Ferris, L Fitzgerald, J Hayes, C Healy, J Heaslip, R Kearney, D Leamy, J Muldoon, J Murphy, D O'Callaghan, R O'Gara, S O'Brien, B O'Driscoll, M O'Driscoll, E Reddan, D Ryans, J Sexton, P Stringer, D Toner, A Trimble, D Wallace, P Wallace
