RUGBY/INTERNATIONAL NEWS:THE MANTRA in modern professional sport is to highlight a commitment to focusing solely on the next fixture but Ireland coach Declan Kidney has chosen to embrace a broader canvas.
In announcing a team for tomorrow’s fixture against the Barbarians at Thomond Park, one that contains four uncapped players in Fergus McFadden, Dan Tuohy, Ed O’Donoghue and Chris Henry, Kidney acknowledged that his selection is governed by a number of factors that don’t simply pertain to the Limerick match.
On Saturday morning Ireland head to the Southern Hemisphere for a couple of Tests, against New Zealand and Australia with a game against the Maori in between. Last weekend several Irish squad members were involved in Magners League and Guinness Premiership finals so for the Irish coach the issue relating to this team is striking a balance between those who need game time, those who would benefit from more, while also assessing the credentials of several fringe players to perhaps play against the Maori.
Kidney explained: “We picked who was in the best shape to play and who needed the game too. There is a lot of mixing and matching. It’s also to try and find things out and test the strength in depth of the squad.”
Rob Kearney and Shane Horgan play their second match in a week while Gavin Duffy – he has been called in specifically for this match but won’t travel to New Zealand and Australia – partners Fergus McFadden in the centre.
In the absence of Brian O’Driscoll, Ronan O’Gara will captain Ireland for a second time, the first occasion was a Six Nations Championship match at Twickenham in 2008, the then national coach Eddie O’Sullivan’s last game in charge.
The Irish outhalf put tomorrow’s game in context: “It’s great, it’s exciting. A big night for me in Thomond Park. The most important thing for us as a squad is that there are a lot of fellas playing for Ireland for the first time.
“The excitement involved is going to be huge. There is an onus on the senior players to make sure that we are bubbling on the night, give the young fellas an opportunity to shine. The Barbarians, for Test games, are the best players available, they are a scratch side but our side is more or less a scratch side for this weekend. We have been building a squad for a number of years but a lot of these faces are new to me: the two centres I wouldn’t have played with before so there would be a little bit of bedding in, getting familiar with each other and by the night we should be okay.
“We’ll have our own ideas about how we want to play the game. It’ll be a good hard game. The management have been beating into us this week that in seven days’ time we will play the All Blacks and there are positions up for grabs. We are going to have to have some structure in our game tomorrow, you can’t just turn it on and then look to improve for the following week. There are some important building blocks to set apart for this weekend.”
Marcus Horan is the senior member of a pack that includes a host of young players who will be looking to cement some game time in the Southern Hemisphere. Kidney and his charges will be looking to achieve something that no other Irish team has managed, namely to beat the All Blacks. He smiled when reminded of the scale of the task that awaits the squad.
“There was apprehension the day I took the job. It’s such a huge responsibility representing Ireland. Then when you go the number one and three-ranked countries in the world . . . Australia will obviously be trying to do a number on us. They’ll feel they let a victory slip out of their hands last November. The fact we’re in the same World Cup group means they’ll be trying to do a job on us.
“Ireland haven’t beaten New Zealand but we’re going to beat them some time, so this is our opportunity to have a go at it. We’ll go down and do what every Irish team has done in the past. We won’t be there just to make up the numbers.
“Professionalism has levelled things off. We have a few new faces but in this game if you wait around for everything to be right, life will slip you by. You never know when things are going to pop right.
“The year before last who was to know the Grand Slam was coming home? These things happen and you prepare for them. Is their trepidation? There always is but if you don’t have it you shouldn’t be with the group. It’s part and parcel of it.”
The Irish coach confirmed that he would like to honour a request to release two of his players – as yet unnamed – to play for the New Zealand Barbarians against the Maori on the same day that Ireland take on the All Blacks in the Test match.
“If lads can play they enjoy tours more. It all depends on fitness. We have Friday night to go through, travel, Monday and Tuesday, training, and if we get through all that we’d be delighted to help out.”
The Barbarians team will contain some familiar faces including Munster’s Paul Warwick, Leinster and Ireland secondrow Malcolm O’Kelly and local favourite Alan Quinlan. O’Gara admitted it would be strange facing one of his best friends. “I was talking to Brian (O’Driscoll) coming home from training. I think I’ll see the real Quinny this weekend. It’s my first time ever playing against him: usually at training for the last 13 years we’ve been on the same side.
“I’d be very close to Alan of all the players. I have a great relationship with him and he has a heart of gold – but he can torment people. That’s the way he plays and he’s very effective. It will be interesting to see what way the crowd go because I’m sure there will be a lot of Quinny fans there. We need a few of them cheering us on.
“He’ll torment you alright. He’s a great character, he’ll be missed, but there is plenty of rugby left him in yet.
“He’s very ambitious. I think he’s disappointed not to be going on the Irish tour, so I think he has a point to prove as well.”
In some respects that encapsulates tomorrow game, a proving ground for many players that may have ramifications that will extend beyond the 80 minutes.
